Some southern Idaho school districts are dropping physical education requirements for high schoolers in favor of more time sweating over math problems and science experiments.

Idaho Falls School District 91 spokeswoman Margaret Wimborne told the Post Register her district had to cut P.E. to make room for the state’s increased requirements for math and science classes. Madison district administrators made the same decision.

That doesn’t mean students in those schools are without opportunities for exercise, however, said Madison High School Assistant Principal Travis Schwab. They can still take P.E. classes as an elective.

“Our numbers are still up,” Schwab said, noting some P.E. classes have 40 students enrolled.

Other districts in the state are finding ways to keep physical education a requirement, however. Shelley and Sugar-Salem school districts still require some P.E., and Bonneville Joint School District 93 students must rack up three P.E. credits to graduate.Michaelena Hix, director of curriculum and instruction for the Bonneville Joint School District, says she doesn’t see that changing in the near future.

“We want to keep physical education alive in our district,” she said. “We just feel that’s a real important way to help our kids.”Hillcrest P.E. teacher Scott Barr said people don’t realize the importance of physical education.

“It’s really scary the level of fitness that our country has,” Barr said. “I really think that P.E. needs to be just as much of a priority as math, science or any of the other (classes).”Idaho Falls High School P.E. and English teacher Chuck Johnson agreed. “I’m worried about students,” he said. “I don’t think you can put a price on health.”