Should it be required by law that children be taught how to swim in school?

a.) would be a terrific law!! can anyone find a flaw?
b.) considering the current wave of former college alcoholics who drank their way through college with C averages teaching our kids??? NO WAY how many drownings would their be?

reply to post by Xammu


Swimming in school. That would be a cool course. I would have enjoyed it. I doubt that a lot of schools could even afford this curriculum right now, though. But, hey, it's a good idea, anyways.

Maybe it could be an elective. What if some kid just does NOT want to get in a pool of water? Some people have this fear of water. Not sure why, but some do.

Why do physical education teachers, some of them, insist some kid who can hardly climb out of the bathtub by himself, climb up a long rope to the top of the gymnasium? I felt sorry for those kids who couldn't do it and were made fun of.

I can see it now. A bus load of kids from a school that can't afford a swimming pool are taken to the local swimming hole. A kid protests, the gym teacher makes fun of him or her and says, "Okay, ya big baby! You're first in! Now swim!"

Sure, a swimming class would be good, I think. It doesn't mean kids will be tossed into the deep end of the pool. Shallow water works just as well when learning to swim, after all, swimming means staying near the top surface of water, for the most part, in that, NOT drowning. Those that show skill and desire, sure, go into the deep water.

I don't see it,though,as economically feasible for lots of schools. So, this should be a local decision. Definitely not federal required, and not even state required.

Originally posted by kyred
reply to post by Xammu

 

Swimming in school. That would be a cool course. I would have enjoyed it. I doubt that a lot of schools could even afford this curriculum right now, though. But, hey, it's a good idea, anyways.

Maybe it could be an elective. What if some kid just does NOT want to get in a pool of water? Some people have this fear of water. Not sure why, but some do.

Why do physical education teachers, some of them, insist some kid who can hardly climb out of the bathtub by himself, climb up a long rope to the top of the gymnasium? I felt sorry for those kids who couldn't do it and were made fun of.

I can see it now. A bus load of kids from a school that can't afford a swimming pool are taken to the local swimming hole. A kid protests, the gym teacher makes fun of him or her and says, "Okay, ya big baby! You're first in! Now swim!"

Sure, a swimming class would be good, I think. It doesn't mean kids will be tossed into the deep end of the pool. Shallow water works just as well when learning to swim, after all, swimming means staying near the top surface of water, for the most part, in that, NOT drowning. Those that show skill and desire, sure, go into the deep water.

I don't see it,though,as economically feasible for lots of schools. So, this should be a local decision. Definitely not federal required, and not even state required.

I understand that swimming classes are not all that high on the budget list of many schools and I am ok with that. I think family should be the primary teacher of swimming.

About the teaching of swimming in shallow water, if you mean water where you can stand and have your head above water then I highly disagree. If you can touch the bottom of your swimming location while learning then it gives you a FALSE sense of security.

Swimming to survive has no bottom to stand on, the swimmer needs to understand how to 'see' the water, to conserve energy, to know when to breath and how to 'ride' the water to the best advantage possable.

Learning how to dive deep, hold your breath and stay calm are not going to come to you in an emergency unless you have already experienced it, hopefully under safe conditions. I am lucky to have access to a pool anytime I want to use it. I practice skills I can use in an emergency. A personal favorite of mine is to hold half a breath of air, so I am heavier than the surrounding water, and walk across the bottom of the pool.

That exercise can be rather difficult. Sometimes the want to surface for air is very hard to overcome. Calm, Cool, Collected. That is they key to walking across the bottom of the pool on half a breath of air. That and a whole lot of practice.

I don't know if it happens across the uk, but in primary school you get to the local swimming pool quite a few times to learn how to swim. As for me, i despise swimming and never go to indoor or outdoor pools. In a life or death situation i would be alright for a little while, but i wouldn't have the stamina to last very long. I can only hold my breath for 35 seconds maximum.

[edit on 16-7-2010 by Solomons]

Originally posted by Xammu
To me it seems that this could cut the annual drowning deaths by more than tenfold, and It could also provide exercize for children, potentially reducing childhood obesity.

To me is sounds like a good idea. When i was at school i hated swimming, and did not want to do this sport at all.

The main reason a kid does not want to learn swimming in my case, was that if you have very weak legs, you find it hard.

Its a thing like many things you really need to learn when your young, and it is an excellent exercise, but for people like me, i never learned as i hated it, as like i said, when i was at school i had weak legs, so i think alot of kids get put of by this.

Teachers need understanding of why a kid hates swimming. I would assume like me, if your body was not very strong you would hate it, as strong legs are quite important in this exercise. Like normally pe teachers are normally quite healthy and strong adults, but have no understanding that swimming is a sport that really does need strong legs.

So to put it bluntly swimming is an easy exercise to learn if your got strong legs, but it can be very difficult when your legs are weak.

[edit on 7/16/2010 by andy1033]

I think again its an area of parental responsibility. I was taken to swimming pools when I was a baby with my parenets and just continued from there. Some kids are scared of the water which is a big problem. I remember having to swim to the bottom of the pool to retrieve a black brick and making a bouyancy aid out pyjamma bottoms and learning to jump into a pool without your head going under.

Then again we had Rolf encouraging us



[edit on 16-7-2010 by woodwardjnr]

reply to post by woodwardjnr


Most definitely something you need to learn young.

Fears are alot harder to overcome as an adult.

reply to post by andy1033


Andy, I must disagree with your statement of needing strong legs to swim. I'm an 80% arm power swimmer. It just feels right to me. I can tread water for more than 20 minutes with just my arms.

It's OK if you don't like to swim, strangely, I don't like to eat meat that lives in water, but don't let your dislike of it stop you from learning how to survive for a period of time in water.

Stop listening to those around you and just get in the water and do what you can. Just find your limits and push them a little bit. Hold your breath in the shallow end or try to swim from side to side underwater. Try to bob in the deep end of a pool. You are never that far from the surface.

Trust yourself. You know better than anyone else when, where and how much to push your limits. Just try to learn in a safe environment, before you end up in a dangerous situation.

reply to post by rebeldog


ya... I can.....

www.associatedcontent.com...

I have a son that had asthma as a child. unfortunately, swim lessons were mandatory at his school...he kept telling me and the school that he felt ill whenever he was around the pool, they didn't listen of course.....

well, turns out...
indoor swimming pools aren't the best things for kids with asthma!!!

No it shouldn't be required by law.

It should be required by basic common sense.

The last thing our society needs is more laws...

I don't know about 'required by law', but it would be a good idea to learn, for the reasons already stated. When I was in grade 4 we took swimming lessons at a local pool (got to bus there and waste half the day, lol) and then in grade 10 (the only year of high school where gym class was mandatory) we also had swimming, and there was a pool across the street we used. I went from 'sinks like a rock' to 'can just barely keep afloat in still water' so I guess it was a good thing!

Without reading all the posts I wanted to add my opinion.

I'd say no.

But thats only based on my experiences with my oldest son. He loves to "swim", but he has issues with getting his head wet and going under water, etc...

Teaching him how to swim has been a pretty large challenge, and I would in no way want him being forced by people who didn't understand anything about him, where he was just another kid who had to learn or fail. At times he is absolutely terrified, and it takes me 20 minutes to calm him down, I couldn't see the situation playing out the same at a school. And I'd hate for him to be alienated because of his fears about swimming.

At what age would it be necessary? Drowning is the second highest form of accidental death in kids 12 and under, and I'm sure the stats are higher the younger you get. At around that age, 12, I 'd be more open to swimming programs than at my childs current age, 7.

But, I'd expect any programs like that to be voluntary.

reply to post by Xammu


While I agree that swimming is important and I made sure my children learned when they were infants I disagree that it should be by law.

See no everybody can learn as easy as some others how to swim.

I am from an Island, grew up surrounded by water all my life, but guess what I can not swim even to save my life, since I was a child every time I was forced into the water to learn how to swim my fear of the water always cause me to get into a panic frenzy.

Why? I have no idea and even as an adult I try to take swimming lessons with not results at all.

Yes I can go into the sea or swimming pool as long as I can touch the bottom but once I get lifted by the water waves I got into a panic attack.

So as you can see no everybody can learn to swim at all. . .

If you want your child to be able to swim, then impart such knowledge.

Squealing to an external authority to enact laws is not parenting.

all kids should know how to "dog" swim and swim on their back at the age of 7,

by the age of 15 you should be able to dive to a depth of 5 m and retrive a rubber ring and be able to retrive a rescue doll from a depth of 3m and have the endurance to swim 200m (thats back and forth two times in a regular sized pool)

by the age of 18 you should have the endurance to swim 500m freely as you wish or atleast stay above the surface for the same ammount of time it takes to swim that distance.


while i agree that forcing wont get them kids to swim at least they should have been given the opperturnity at a young age to learn.

Originally posted by crazydaisy
Required by law - absolutely not! As an after school program with the permission of the parents and proper supervision- perhaps. Schools have too many uneducational activites in my opinion already. They need to be in the classroom learning Math, Reading, Science, etc. I can't quote stastics right now but a lot of kids can't even read after being passed on thru several grades. There are other alternatives for recreation - in the US we have the YMCA/YWCA and other sports and recreational organizations. [...]
IMO

i'm in absolute agreement

first swimming instruction, then what as they progress through the grades... scuba diving? ~on the public dime~

schools are full time baby-sitters with breakfasts in the AM thru night-hoops programs...yeah i'm lambasting the 'affirmative action' social(ist) agenda which eventually led to the Bush mess with Home-Ownership for everyone that couldn't afford house mortgages

lets return to agencies like boy-scouts, girl-scouts to fill in the need,
we just do not need any more cradle-to-grave government in our lives.

Originally posted by St Udio

lets return to agencies like boy-scouts, girl-scouts to fill in the need,
we just do not need any more cradle-to-grave government in our lives.

I grew up with all that and to tell you the truth I miss them very much, they were great place to learn and socialized, I remember when I learn to make my first cake from scratch !!!!!!!!! now you just go and get it ready to bake in the store.

As was stated much earlier, most school districts in the USA do not own pools or have year round access to them.

Many large districts are in the process of laying off teachers and cutting programs.

As for the thought of swimming, great idea.

Here's the problem. With the current system teaching little Billy and Jane revisionist history, virtually no math nor writing skills, and dumbing down the system so bad that even the stupidest kid is passed along to the next grade; I do not trust a teacher to do their job.

What I base this on is that the largest school district, where I live, has a graduation rate of less than 50%. Most of these high school graduates have to take pre-college coursework before they go to any college other than the local community college system.

The school system has perverted itself from a system that teaches children life long education and life skills to just union based taxpayer supported jobs that supports poor performances.

Here is Australia it is not compulsory nor law to learn to swim, but it is highly encouraged. My ex was a swim instructor & they ran classes (this is nation wide) for 'mums & bubs' from the age of 3 months, & also for adults. It is having remarakable results as the baby learns quicker than an adult which way is up. They are taught to float on their back & head for the side.

Not that this is in any way encouraging parents to let their babys go for a swim, BUT just in case, it gives the kid a much better chance. Just because your baby knows how to float doesnt excuse you from being a responsible parent.

I dont think it is in the school program to run swiming lessons, thats a responsible parents job, but both levels of school here have swimming carnivals. You dont have to compete but most do. I dont think it would be a bad idea if schools did organise it though.

Learning to swim is a very valuable life skill that is very easy to learn, especially the younger you start. Over 90% of Australians live near the coast or a river, & Id say at least 95% of us can swim, though, like my mother, some just never want to try. A majority of drownings on our beaches are tourists, the rest are drunk.

It should be required by basic common sense

Exactly.

I live in England at the moment and I am shocked by how many people cannot swim. It's an Island!

I just don't understand how kids can be raised now a days without swimming being part of their lives?

I don't remember ever not being able to swim, then again my parents didn't work 60 hours a week so they could afford a lot of uselss crap. They had time to take us out to places where we could go swimming.

Frankly, if you raise children, and they get to adulthood without being able to swim you've failed at an important part of parenting.