This has been bothering me for a while.

The fact that Physical Education is mandatory.

Some kids just aren't athletic. Not that they shouldn't exercise, but grading them on their physical abilities? They can't help the fact that they aren't as good at sports as the other kids. I was one of those kids. Me and my group of non-athletic friends spent the class dodging various projectiles that hurt like hell if they hit you. Footballs, baseballs, especially dodge balls. I hated dodge ball with a fiery passion.

Especially in high school. Senior boys throw hard. It was enough to leave a nice little welt if you were hit. I was only a Freshman at the time. It was hardly fair.

But what made the class all the more unbearable was the teacher. I loath him to this day. He was a egotistical, sexist, steroid-loving whack job who hated the non-athletic kids. He seemed to think sports were a way of life and it was fucking blasphemy to suck at dodge ball. He loved dodge ball. He made us play it on a regular basis. I think he found it profoundly amusing every time the "wimps" got nailed. He didn't like any of the girls much, either, hence the sexist-ness. He just had this aggravating arrogance, like he thought he was too good for any of us (except the uber talented athletes, of course). I fancied shoving a hockey stick down his throat several times. Jerk.

And then we have the other extreme. I remember her well. She was my elementary school PE teacher. A fat ass, ex-smoker who preached the importance of exercise and how sedentary lifestyles were heresy. Where the bloody hell does she get off spewing physical education down our throats when the bitch can hardly talk without wheezing like an asthmatic cow? I'd love to see her resume. Did the school even have her fill out an application before they hired her or were they so understaffed that they hired the first person that came along who could blow a whistle? She was an absolute joke.

I hated gym class. My sympathy goes out to all the kids who are still subject to its torment.

PE needs to be an elective.