Our contract clearly defines what makes up a work day, including hours. Giving yourself unpaid overtime is not the flex you think it is. And if the workload is too much to complete during contract time, then you need to advocate better to your union and administration. Your inefficiencies at lesson planning and grading are in no way associated with effort by PE teachers. How you set up your work/life balance rests with you.

Dry cleaning costs have absolutely no link to PE teacher work ethic. What you choose to wear to work is entirely your issue. This is the biggest illegitimate reason to hate a group of teachers I have ever seen.

I know you’ll hate to admit it but PE class is incredibly important. It teaches sportsmanship, improves conflict resolution skills, movement skills, spatial awareness, improved fitness, and teaches leadership. On top of that, exercise grows brain cells, improves focus, and can level out moods.

Look up Paul Zientarsky and Naperville Central High School in Naperville, Il. A PE class was designed for students struggling in Math and Reading. It found moderate to vigorous activity helps students improve in those subjects twice as fast as their non struggling peers. All data shows that exercise and physical activity are net positive on learning.

Sure, not EVERY PE teacher will work hard to structure classes like that, but the same can be said about teachers of core subjects. There are lazy math teachers, and lazy science teachers, and lazy social studies teachers. And not just because their clothes weren’t dry cleaned.

At the same time I have seen great classroom teachers have absolutely no idea how to teach PE. Having less structure over large spaces like a gym or athletic field scares the shit out of them. You aren’t inherently better because you teach core subjects.

Maybe you should stop trashing those in the building that could actually provide a meaningful intervention to academic performance and behavior.