In your opinion, is it worth the risk to public health and sanitation (Not to mention the smell) for high schools to not require showers after sports and gym classes in the name of accommodating students who are insecure about their bodies?

In Australia most High schools don't have showers installed anywhere. Australian students never shower after Sport or PE, they can do that at home. It isn't a health risk to go without a shower until you get home. At the longest that's what, 3 hours you go without having a shower after exercise. Antiperspirants eliminate most of the smell: a lot of kids stink without doing any activity because they don't use deodorant anyway: A shower means that they are gonna smell rosy for about an hour, before they start sweating and stinking again. If a kid stinks, that's his problem, and people should tell him off for stinking Untill they buy themselves something to help. Australia is generally a very warm place, if we can go without showers in High school, then so can everyone else. Speaking of health risks, I think Public amenities are a greater health risk than not showering; sharing Tinea and whatnot. I guess it just depends on where you are from. Its never been tradition in Australia: it would require too much water use to have kids showering everywhere. Now that I think about it, I reckon sport in Australia is quite a bit different to that in USA; It's nowhere near as much a career move in Australia and its very separate from the school system. PE and sport in school is more for recreation and learning about the human body, learning about fitness etc. rather than competition, or trying to make all the kids fit and efficient athletes. We play sport quite a bit, but its an outside school institution. You train at you local Oval or courts, and play on weekends: nothing to do with school. Getting to my point (finally :P ) at schools the kids aren't run ragged and into the ground and into a sweat-dripping mess. Should they be? I'm not sure, my uninformed opinion is that a childs fitness and health is the parents responsibility, and thus sport and the heavy sweating stuff should be separate from the education system. I think the schools have enough on their plates as it is.

I don't think anyone should be forced to take their clothes off. If they want to stink, let 'em.

When I was in middle and highschool, we were not required to shower after gym. We didn't even have showers, and it never caused a problem. I don't remember any smell or hygeine problems.

It amazes me that wussies ever become adults. Just take the damn shower ...

It's a good way to tackle insecurities head on! Though, my high school made showers optional.

I was never required to shower after phys-ed...but I believe it should be enforced. However, phys-ed should be optional.

There's usually not enough time in the school schedule to fit in showers at my local schools. Also there's no privacy as the showers are open, so there a bunch of issues right there. I don't think it's right to actually REQUIRE students to shower.

You know, the way that our school system has it is kinda perfect the way it is actually. We didn't have to take a shower after PE classes, but it was certainly optional to those that wanted it. Between the guys and I, whoever stunk a lot, we would rat them out and make fun of them cause I think I can speak for mostly all that smelling like body odour is 'not' attractive. Also, on the topic of optional PE, I don't think that it should be optional and make it mandatory for kids considering that PE is the class that allowed me to take a break from school and studying and just have fun playing sports or working out or just hanging out with buddies at the beach. It's like cutting out the drama department or the music department. Fine Arts and Physical Education aren't necessarily 'academic needs', but they serve as a higher purpose of enriching the school culture and letting talents grow... Anyway.. Just my say.I disgress. :)

i think a. your insane. i fail how to see not taking a shower after gym compromises public health. as far as sanatation i think we should be more on people about washing hands and what they put in their mouths rather then showering after gym. in my school we barely had enough time to change and get to our next class. forget takin a shower.