New PE curriculum sparks controversy
Juju on that beat and Bete Parraza, Staff Writer and A&E Editor
In an effort to expand Samo’s physical education curriculum, Samo Principal Antonio Shelton has proposed a new plan to incorporate exercise into everyday classroom instruction starting May 1. A primary part of this program, titled “Swimming Through Samo, ‘’ plans to fill classrooms with eight feet of water, forcing students to tread water the entirety of their class periods. SMMUSD has asked for donations, as their means of filling up classrooms with water relies on expensive long hoses. The implementation of this new program brings major changes in campus infrastructure, including, but not limited to the fact that classrooms and all items within them must be waterproofed. Financial Concerns by SMMUSD Board members and parents have quickly circulated due to the potential expense of this waterproofing. This concern was addressed in a recent statement.
“I understand your worries, but I want to assure you that we are taking budget concerns seriously and are planning to use seran wrap as a cost efficient way to waterproof our classrooms,” Shelton said.
Still, the school is facing backlash as environmental groups strongly oppose the extreme use of plastic and water. Team Marine has started a Change.org petition that currently has 2,400 signatures, but will accomplish absolutely nothing. The administration will never see it. Many students are concerned for their safety as well.
“I can barely swim and when I brought this up to administrators their response was ‘get a life vest or hold onto a friend,’” Tessa Dillman (’22) said.
Despite this controversy, the school plans to continue moving forward with Swimming Through Samo. Classes in the month of April will be held on Zoom while classrooms are being plastic wrapped and filled with water. Remember waterproof clothes and come ready to tread on May 1!
Shelton also converted the History building’s remains into a battlefield. Trees scatter the dirt field that is now lined with benches for spectators. When walking through, one can practically smell the blood, sweat and tears of the warriors-in-training. Here, students compete in Hunger Games-esque games in order to stay in shape, ranging from fencing to mud wrestling. As an incentive to train with stronger vigor, Samo offers prizes ranging from extra credit to elite college admission for the champions.
Unfortunately, many of these games have ended in bloodshed. Outraged parents and intense board meetings have followed in an attempt to solve the matter. Shania Ghassemi (’23) has strong opinions on these intense games, and urges Shelton to abolish them.
“The whole thing seems completely outrageous. At first it seemed like fun and games but it spiraled into a warzone where people are toilet papering their teachers and stomping on plungers,” Ghassemi said.
Although this program has led to 83 sprained angles, eight broken toes and 301 missing fingers buried in the rubble, Shelton refuses to cancel the games.
Two Samo students duel it out on the battlefield, competing for an A in their AP US History class.
Samo students, Sexy Javerbeast (’69), Halloweener (’48) and Drizzy Drake (’09) attempting to swim and tread water in their first class with the new “Swimming Through Samo” program.