Discussions of making health and speech classes optional for Katy ISD students have begun to make their rounds with teachers and parents, opening room for discourse on whether health and speech are necessary courses. Supporters of the change argue when the requirement should be removed due to students who aim to take as little 4.0 classes as they can, while others believe students may not feel inclined to take any health or speech classes when they are not mandatory.
Changing the Health and Speech subjects to optional elective courses for Katy ISD students should not happen.
Importance of Health Education
Making health a required and basic course for high schoolers has been a commonality for decades, and while the subject of health may seem useless or shallow for some people, learning the basics about your health can be life-changing. For students, a health course taken in school may be the only time students have discussions about critical topics like safety against drugs and alcohol, so if students are averse to participating in a class that can prepare and support students throughout their lives, they may remain uninformed about issues relevant to their teenage years.
The Gravity of Speech Skills
Speech is also a key part of education for students, understanding how to speak may seem like a given, but speaking well is a learned skill. Additionally, speech is a more prominent necessity in the coming years due to COVID-19 isolating many children, limiting in-human interactions which help develop certain social skills. If students lack the class that assists them in public speaking or simply holding conversations, there could be disadvantages in their working adult lives.
Impact on Teachers
The teachers of these courses are also put at stake when shortening the student population who take their classes. Health and speech teachers are often coaches, and many are primarily qualified to teach in these areas. When there is a significant decrease in students enrolled in health and speech classes, the number of classes taught will shrink, meaning coaches, who already coach a sport, will potentially face scheduling and eligibility issues when they have to find a new course to teach. Preparing to teach a new subject may become complicated due to the certification requirement and simply the heavy course material that comes with new specific subjects.
A Possible Compromise
A solution for students who are concerned about their GPA possibly could be to offer AP science courses regarding the human body or human life, including a health credit. Every student would still have the course option of an average-level health class, but some who would like to go above and beyond would be able to also. In such a science class, there could also be a week or two that would go over the more intricate aspects of a basic health class to help ensure students receive the same information. A similar solution is already in place for speech course requirements, where students have the opportunity to take AP Seminar for their required speech credit.
When it comes to encouraging students to take classes, a requirement will be the biggest push for students, making health and speech optional will cause many students to overlook how crucial these courses are. They have been required for years for the importance of their life skills, and making them optional may make students underprepared, doing more harm than good.
