astr591 Posted May 19, 2014 Posted May 19, 2014 at my daughters schools from 8th -10th grade, in PE she attends the swim unit and boys and girls have it together? Why is this allowed? Wouldn't this make girls feel uncomfortable and give immature boys an opportunity to harass and humiliate girls? And cause distractions and goofing off among everyday? Not to mention young boys will be shirtless around young girls and I think that is inappropriate especially in a school setting My daughter keeps saying she does not care but she is young and may not understand how wrong this is this just seems wrong especially at school. Giving a boys a chance to leer at girls like this this class also pretty much just gives students to look at all the other students in bathing suits. How is this appropriate for school? Why is the school providing an avenue for voyeurism? can people really say honestly that young boys and girls will concentrate on swimming while they are around each other in bathing suits and not goof off? That boys (who aren't known for sensitivity) won't use this opportunity to harass or tease girls? whose idea were these classes? These classes only seem to benefit males and it gives them an opportunity in school to leer at their female classmates in bathing suits. Why create a class just for boys to look at girls basically? I just don't get it This is not a public pool for everyone, this is school. School should not be making students be in revealing costumes in front of each other. And give boys an opportunity to leer at girls in this situation I am thinking of going to the school and asking that boys and girls be separated or boys be required to wear shirts while swimming how come more parents are not caring or are concerned about this? Their kids are being made to wear revealing clothes around each other!
whichwayisup Posted May 19, 2014 Posted May 19, 2014 Have some faith in the school and gym/swim teachers. Also, not all boys are gonna say something and leer at the girls. With that said, I doubt the swim coach/teacher is going to allow that type of behaviour in class. Why not give your daughter a chance to experience the class and see how it goes before you go rushing to the school and discuss your worries and concerns. 4
angel.eyes Posted May 19, 2014 Posted May 19, 2014 Unfortunately, you're giving your child all sorts of body image and insecurity issues. That's truly sad. I had coed swim classes with boys from third grade through freshman year of college. All the things you mention were non-issues. We were there to swim and improve our technique. I was also on my high school varsity swim team. Ther boys' and girls' teams hung around the pool together during team practices. No one was traumatized. Our focus was on getting better to beat other schools' teams. 19
Haydn Posted May 19, 2014 Posted May 19, 2014 My daughter is at a mixed school. (Thank God). I think it is not a problem for the boys and girls to do sporting activities together. Part of growing up. Surely? 9
Koopa Posted May 19, 2014 Posted May 19, 2014 Well as your daughter gets older, you are going to have to live with the fact that boys will look at her and she will look at boys (lets not rule out her looking at girls either). This is a fact of life and you are right to be protective of your daughter but this seems kinda ridiculous. They wear one piece bathing suits in swim class, its not like she is wearing some tiny bikini. Let her take the class, after all swimming is great exercise. Don't quarantine your daughter from boys this tends to have the opposite effect you want. just make sure she is aware what teenage boys are capable of. 16
Omei Posted May 19, 2014 Posted May 19, 2014 Do not instill fear into your daughter that this is something that isn't normal when it is. 9
Smilecharmer Posted May 19, 2014 Posted May 19, 2014 Did you have bad experiences growing up or come from a strict religious back ground? Most kids don't care about wearing swimsuits, in fact calling attention to it would make my kids more embarrassed. They were in co ed PE classes and in Co ed swim teams and they had a great time and had many friends who were boys and girls. 7
xxmusical Posted May 19, 2014 Posted May 19, 2014 I attended co-ed swimming classes in high school and was quite surprised by how well-behaved most of the guys were (maybe because there was a teacher?). I mean, it may be the fact that we were too busy swimming our arses off, or how bizarre we all looked like with our hair wet and slimy stuff dribbling down our noses. Although yes, it is true that some boys would "check out" girls. But...the girls are wearing one-piece swimming suits. And, girls would check out girls too... This is part of growing up and learning to cope with any insecurity issues if one has any. I agree, calling attention to it would only make it worse for your daughter, especially if she had no problem at all at the beginning. 2
lollipopspot Posted May 19, 2014 Posted May 19, 2014 I think one-piece lap swimming suits and swimming caps are pretty unsexy. Even women with shapely bodies don't tend to look great in them. That's just my experience, as a non teenage boy. It seems to me that a girl in school with a short skirt and tight shirt might have more sex appeal, frankly. I'd focus more on making sure her school attire is appropriate rather than worrying about her at swimming lessons. 4
veggirl Posted May 19, 2014 Posted May 19, 2014 I grew up swimming in PE class. It was no big deal. Don't you think the school has considered your concerns before? If it was a huge problem I think they'd drop it from the curriculum. 1
amaysngrace Posted May 19, 2014 Posted May 19, 2014 If kids aren't comfortable being seen in a bathing suit they should stop being little piggies and get more exercise. 2
Emilia Posted May 19, 2014 Posted May 19, 2014 I went to a mixed school and we did a lot of the exercises mixed including swimming. It's completely natural and normal. 2
Keenly Posted May 19, 2014 Posted May 19, 2014 Relax, its not even a big deal. Not like you are trying to make it out to be. 2
ASG Posted May 19, 2014 Posted May 19, 2014 Wow! I had mixed swimming lessons all throughout school. Never once was I mocked (or any of my girl friends). It was just swim class. If anything, most of us just wanted it to be over. Why are you making an issue out of it?!?!? 3
Author astr591 Posted May 19, 2014 Author Posted May 19, 2014 I grew up swimming in PE class. It was no big deal. Don't you think the school has considered your concerns before? If it was a huge problem I think they'd drop it from the curriculum. that's why I am surprised more parents do not seem to have any problem with this. I don't understand it.
Author astr591 Posted May 19, 2014 Author Posted May 19, 2014 I think one-piece lap swimming suits and swimming caps are pretty unsexy. Even women with shapely bodies don't tend to look great in them. That's just my experience, as a non teenage boy. It seems to me that a girl in school with a short skirt and tight shirt might have more sex appeal, frankly. I'd focus more on making sure her school attire is appropriate rather than worrying about her at swimming lessons. according to the guidelines swimming caps are only optional. But even one piece suits can be revealing.
amaysngrace Posted May 19, 2014 Posted May 19, 2014 that's why I am surprised more parents do not seem to have any problem with this. I don't understand it. Why would we? Swimming is a life skill. Do your children know how to swim? 2
Author astr591 Posted May 19, 2014 Author Posted May 19, 2014 Why would we? Swimming is a life skill. Do your children know how to swim? I don't see why boys and girls must be scheduled to do swimming classes at the same time.
amaysngrace Posted May 19, 2014 Posted May 19, 2014 I don't see why boys and girls must be scheduled to do swimming classes at the same time. Gym is co-ed. Most school budgets won't allow for it not to be. What are you so afraid of exactly? 3
Keenly Posted May 19, 2014 Posted May 19, 2014 Might as well buy her a burka while you're at it. Have you ever heard of the farmers daughter effect? If you try and shelter her too much, you will create the problem you are trying way too hard to prevent. 3
Haydn Posted May 19, 2014 Posted May 19, 2014 I had never even thought of this until you posted. My daughters Mother and i have zero problem as do all our other friends with kiddies. What exactly is it? 2
GorillaTheater Posted May 19, 2014 Posted May 19, 2014 (edited) I had never even thought of this until you posted. My daughters Mother and i have zero problem as do all our other friends with kiddies. What exactly is it? I swam in high school, and most of my kids are swimmers. As protective as I can be, I've never given this a bit of thought, either. Most of us were trying our damnedest to avoid looking like idiots in the pool and wishing we weren't a bunch of beanpoles to have time to ogle girls. That came in class, when they were wearing a tight sweater or lacy top. Edited May 19, 2014 by GorillaTheater 3
Author astr591 Posted May 19, 2014 Author Posted May 19, 2014 Gym is co-ed. Most school budgets won't allow for it not to be. What are you so afraid of exactly? unlike other classes, this class makes kids wear revealing clothing in front of each other. This does not seem right at all for a school environment. I don't see how this is comparable to any other class.
Keenly Posted May 19, 2014 Posted May 19, 2014 unlike other classes, this class makes kids wear revealing clothing in front of each other. This does not seem right at all for a school environment. I don't see how this is comparable to any other class. Its swimming.... I guess teenage girls need to be banned from beaches, rivers, lakes, and swimming pools. 6
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