I find this problem perplexing. I'm always shocked at how many of my students say they can't swim - in many ways the city is the easiest place in the world to learn...the Boys and Girls club is $10/year to join and lessons (and every other program) are totally free. Girls, Inc, costs the same and offers free swim lessons. The state pools are free and offer free lessons. The lessons are there...but for whatever reasons, the kids don't go. And a lot of the kids were at the Boys Club every single day after school (from 2:30 until the clubhouse closes) when they were in elementary and middle school.
Is it my imagination that most colleges have dropped the swim requirement for graduation? I know it is true at both my and my wife's alma maters and I have heard the same from a number of others.
In my opinion, it should be a requirement to graduate elementary school! The largest percentage of drownings in this country appear to be in the youngest and least educated population. Let's get to these people and teach them how to swim while they are still young and before they have a chance to drop out of school. Cullen Jones is doing just that. :applaud: But, his program should be taken nationwide- no- make that worldwide.
In my opinion, it should be a requirement to graduate elementary school! The largest percentage of drownings in this country appear to be in the youngest and least educated population. Let's get to these people and teach them how to swim while they are still young and before they have a chance to drop out of school. Cullen Jones is doing just that. :applaud: But, his program should be taken nationwide- no- make that worldwide.
Maybe but the logistics are more difficult. Colleges have their own pools and, for anyone who fails the test, can more easily offer swim classes. It seems like a no-brainer.
I'm not saying it would solve the problem (not everyone goes to college, and kids should know how to swim too), but parents who can swim are more likely to see to it that their children know how, too.
Maybe but the logistics are more difficult. Colleges have their own pools and, for anyone who fails the test, can more easily offer swim classes. It seems like a no-brainer.
I'm not saying it would solve the problem (not everyone goes to college, and kids should know how to swim too), but parents who can swim are more likely to see to it that their children know how, too.
Why either or? How about both? You make excellent points about requiring swimming in college. Agreed. But, I say let's require it for children, too, wherever possible. Many communities have a community pool. How about adding the community swimming pool to the list of class field trips for the kids and at least teaching the very basics? Anything is better than nothing.
more awful and tragic is how swimming skills are often not easily available to minority populations:
http://ht.ly/2llPI
Exactly. That is why Cullen Jones' program needs to be expanded. This sort of tragedy should have never happened and should not happen again.
My friends Matt and Sarah are teaching their child to swim @ 1 year old. The little girl already puts her head under water. She's been trying to do that in the tub since she was about 4-5 months old!
I think every parent should do that. I never really lap swam until college, but my mom made sure I wouldn't drown by the time I was 4!
It is horrible -- and way too common. There have been at least 2 drownings of kids in NY this summer that made the news. There are a lot of reasons why city and minority kids don't learn to swim but they all add up to potential tragedy. Kids who learn to swim early also learn to respect their limits, I think. That's why these stories (like the 12 year old girl on a school trip caught in a rip current off of long beach this June) are almost always kids who can't swim at all.
I have been involved with a few drowning and near drowning cases (way too many for me) and every story like this always hurts.
Here's another story about someone trying to make a difference
cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/.../
The previous government in the UK introduce the requirement for all kids to be able to swim 25m by the time they finished primary (elementary) school.
Great in theory, but some schools have pools, some don't and for some its a long way to the nearest pool. Add to that the fact that many areas are closing swimming pools due to "lack of funds" (altough plenty seems to be being spent in other areas) and its not working in practice :(
All kids need to learn to swim - Cullen Jones program is a great start!
Time for a quick rant.......Sad as these stories are, and I read about plenty of lake drownings and home pool drownings just in Texas ........
Why do parents let their kids who can't swim, go into the water alone? Whether it be in a lake, a river or pool? Lifejacket or not, the kid can't swim!! Someone capable needs to be close at hand should the unthinkable happen....not 100 yards away chatting on their phone (I've seen it too many times). And that parent needs to be capable of pulling the child out - if the parent can't swim and the child can't swim and the water is unsupervised, what are these people thinking ???
....rant over.......
For those who can swim, how about teaching them how to rescue? It is not uncommon that a good swimmer who tries to rescue someone is pulled underwater and also drowns.
