University Says You're Too Fat to Graduate
Military, law enforcement, lifeguards, and firemen, all have weight requirements. It's hard to protect and serve with "cankles" and cellulite.
But to graduate college? Yes, college too.
Lincoln University in Pennsylvania will not allow "fat" students to graduate until they have completed a course on fitness.
Let the anger and outrage begin...
All students enrolled at Lincoln University must have their BMI taken during their four years, and if they score 30 or above--i.e. the marker for obesity--students must take a fitness course that meets three hours each week.
If a student refuses to do it, no gown, tassel, or diploma for them--nothing!
Of course this sparked anger among students. Since the rule only applies to fat students, not people with a BMI under 30.
So, students with higher body mass indexes want to know why all students aren't required to take the class. This is an amazingly valid point. "Why they would want some people to be more healthy than others," one student said.
"More healthy?" And she's in college, geez! But, that's another issue. All students should take the class. All graduates must know the importance of good health and regular exercise, not just obese students.
School officials claim budgetary limits prevent them from opening it up to all students. So, despite its apparent bias, maybe it's better than nothing.
Either way, it's controversial. But, at the risk of sounding like a fat-discriminator, I like the idea, more universities should do it, just find the funding and require it for all students, high BMI or not. That part isn't fair.
Via CNN.
This is really, really old news. REALLY old news. They already reversed this about a week ago.
ReplyYeah, I heard about this a long time ago. I was thinking it'd be a better option to make every student take a PE class. I knew plenty of girls that drank and smoked a ton in college and were still within a normal weight range. And I knew a few gals that were on the crew team that would probably be considered overweight, but were fantastically athletic.
ReplyJust PE? They should be taking nutritional classes too... ones where they help prepare healthy foods by growing it and cooking it.
ReplyYou also left out one important thing that I'm sure tons of people on this site would complain about: that they also measure your waist, because they recognize that some people may have a high BMI but not actually be obese.
ReplyWhen I went to college some 10 years ago, my college required a class your freshman year that was focused on health and nutrition. I can't even remember what it was called now but it was one hour a week and pretty much the whole freshman class was present and accounted for during that hour.
So this doesn't seem like such a big deal to me as long as everyone would have to do it and not just the fat ones.
ReplyThis is very discriminating against one health issue. While I am all for people being healthy and getting help with food and fitness issues if they need it, you can't outlaw one health problem from others.
To be fair, the university also must enforce:
1) any smokers to take anti-smoking classes
2) any student eating Doritos or drinking Coke to take a class on chemical toxins in food
3) any student eating from McDonalds to take a class on the dangers of factory farmed meat vs. organic meat
If they are going to descriminate against one issue they need to address the others. A skinny person drinking Crystal Light all day might get cancer quicker than someone with 50lbs to lose but eats healthy.
Reply