San Pasqual High School has a physical education state test like every public high school in California.The main point in the physical education state test is to help students to start creating lifelong habits of regular physical activity.

The way the physical education state test typically works is that teachers have to weigh students which determines how many laps, push ups, “and” sit ups the students will need to complete.

San Pasqual biology and Physical Education teacher Eric Luebke put his students through the state test.

“We test your flexibility, cardiovascular endurance, and muscular strength. There are six different tests and you only need five out of the six to past,” Luebke said.

Lately, freshmen students have been complaining that it’s not fair that the school has to weigh students in order to see where they have to be based on their weight. That’s why some students say the state test is not necessary.

“I think it’s necessary because it holds each individual to the same standard of fitness for the state of California,” Luebke said.

There’s a lot of reasons why the state test is necessary. It shows where the students are and if they need help based on their scores. This allows teachers to help them improve based on that. However,  if a student needs help and they aren’t that good at physical education, building this data into their grades may not be fair.

“[It shouldn’t be a grade] because your effort should be more of the grade, not whether or not you can do a certain amount of pull ups or run the mile,” Luebke said. “If you’re trying your hardest to be in shape, that should be more of the grade.”

For the good athletes out there, there are benefits to passing the state test.

“This benefits students because it allows the good athletes to not be in a PE class for their full two years which will allow them to get more credits to go into college,” Luebke said.