by Andrew Rothfusz and Corgan Petersen

The Atlantic High School choral department is looking into the possibility of being allowed to waive a semester of physical education by being involved in a semester of show choir.

According to Jennifer Gaesser, Choral Director at Atlantic High School, research is being done evaluating how much physical activity is put forth in an average show choir rehearsal.  Gaesser plans on presenting the school board with this information in hopes of gaining their approval of the possibility.

Atlantic weights teacher and football coach Eric Waldstein said that he was not necessarily opposed to the idea on the possible physical education waiver.  “If it’s cleared through the state, sure, that would be great. I did it (show choir) when I was in high school, and it is physical activity.  The only issue you are going to have is that a choir teacher isn’t a physical education instructor.”

Atlantic senior Zach Brooks said, “In my personal opinion, I believe that show choir should be a gym credit because some days you get more out of show choir then you do gym class.  Right now in gym class we are playing horseshoes, which is very physically demanding, but show choir you have to sing and dance for the whole period.”  Brooks also said that even if it was waived for a semester, he would still enroll in gym class.  “If show choir was offered as a gym credit I would still take gym, because I still want to go bowling.”