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Controversy over compulsory running after high school deathPosted by Eric Mu, October 10, 2008 3:25 PM
The Beijing News reported today that a senior at August First High School died during a 1,200 meter run yesterday. The run is a requirement at the school, which is located in Beijing's Haidian District. The cause of death has not yet been determined. Last week, the Ministry of Education released its "Sunny Sports long-distance winter run" program (阳光体育冬季长跑), which requires the country's schools and universities to organize runs for students. The program is intended to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, which takes place one year from now on October 1, 2009, so students are supposed to run distances that are multiples of 60 kilometers: 120 km for elementary students, 180 km for junior high students, and 240 km for senior high and university students. This equates to 1,000, 1,500, and 2,000 meters per day, respectively. Critics argue that the plan puts politics ahead of students' health, and that a one-size-fits-all training program is unlikely to benefit everyone because of individual physical differences. In response, the Ministry of Education told a press conference yesterday that the "Sunny Sports Run," is only a recommendation, not an order, and is intended to be a goal for students to accomplish. There is no time limit for how long the run should last, and students who are physically unfit for such exercise should not be compelled to participate. The controversy should really come as no suprise, because the Ministry of Education has a history of issuing policy "recommendations" that at first glance appear to be compulsory. In June, 2007, a plan to bring coed dancing to school physical fitness programs raised an uproar before the Ministry emphasized that it was only voluntary, and earlier this year public opposition forced it to back down from a proposal to make Peking Opera part of the required curriculum. The Beijing News quoted teachers at a city school who complained that there was no space to have all the students run. They also said that students are usually too tired to focus in class after running. Beijing has barred schools from allowing students to run in streets and alleys following reports of students involved in traffic accidents in other parts of the country. Links and Sources
There are currently 12 Comments for Controversy over compulsory running after high school death.
Comments on Controversy over compulsory running after high school deathPerhaps it is just a trainning for the stock crisis. "The Beijing News quoted teachers at a city school who complained that there was no space to have all the students run. They also said that students are usually too tired to focus in class after running. Beijing has barred schools from allowing students to run in streets and alleys following reports of students involved in traffic accidents in other parts of the country."---article That's nonsense that students are too tired to focus after their run. If anything the health benefits of running make someone focus more. After lunch with all the food in one's belly and all the blood rushing there to aid in digestion one could make the argument that it is worse for focus than running. Barring kids from running in the streets is stupid. Ban the damn cars. F-Cars! Seriously, this is a good policy. 2000 meters is nothing, only about one mile. People always say how Olympics did not cause athletic spirit among normal people, but now that there are some attempts at doing that, people complain it's too much work. Most of the complaints are about symbolic 60 anniversary thing, and if it's 120 anniversary, do students have to do 120 km? They are making a mountain out of a mole hole. 1.2km isn't too far. The student who died must have had a serious physical problem. my gosh, that is my school, i mean August First...we ran 1000m in winter everyday, we did not have a good playground to run indeed by then, but we ran surounded the whole school on the road. Maybe it is kind of dangerous to run on the busy street nowadays, but...one student died doesn't mean all students can't run... Seriously, this is a good policy. 2000 meters is nothing, only about one mile. People always say how Olympics did not cause athletic spirit among normal people they also have multiple sexual acquaintances I think. @peteryang Didn't people complain that Olympics didn't bring policies that it's suppose to do, as in make China a more athletic nation. Isn't this the policy you have been waiting for? I just think schools have too much leverage on student's life, seriously, I feel sad for today's chinese students, they can't do a thing they want. When I was in 初中 all I did each day were homework and bike-riding to home, I'd cry my ass out if I got 30 minutes on the evening to play computer games. Then I went abroad for college and university, it was the most fantastic experience, for the first time I was able to choose what I do, and it is that time that made me what I am today. You probably can't understand the importance of self-determiniation, it is the wealth critical to your success in life. @peteryang then I feel sad for "billions". How I am today has absolutely nothing to do with my 初中 life, nor the "pushing", in fact, I was never pushed to study when in university, I simply chose what I like, and by studying what I like, not WHAT I WAS TOLD TO LIKE, I learnt ability to think, observe and research, those in turn have benefited my carrer greatly. and you know whats really ironic? the time when I was NOT "pushed" to study was the time I did very well, and extremely motivated in academics. And the place I went to was New Zealand, not United States. And you don't need to defend our education system, theres already enough public outrage over it, one radio program on education I listend to had EVERY parent complaining that their kid not having enough free time and study like "slave", I quote one of them: "they simply confiscate her adolescence" "It's not a coincidence that asian americans are statistically better in academics. It's the tough system that they or their parents had been put through."---ABDE The problem with this response you put forth is that the article and issue in question is about getting some of your fellow Asian youth a bit of exercise outside the classroom, outside the library, and away from book larnin' and stuff. Sure, statistically you excel at tests but I personally known quite a few Asian Americans that were disappointed to not get into their Ivy League school of choice because they have nothing besides the brains. Those schools and anything worthy of wanting to be a member of require the candidates to have more than straight A's. So keep your 4.0s. If you had the choice of getting wasted with a fat dumb American or some over-achieving Asian who would you pick? @peteryang |
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