Ohio State law puts students' health and risk in order to get a basic high school diploma. 

As a disabled student with restrictions on her physical activity I cannot take gym glass, but the state law wants to make us. When I entered high school, I approached my guidance counselor in order to confirm my accommodations to opt out of gym and would be transferred to my high school accommodation list. It was then that I learned Ohio state law, per Ohio Revised Code 3313.603, requires students to take 120 credit hours for gym or be in a school sport/marching band.

For those with disabilities like myself, obtaining these credits can be impossible. Even after presenting my doctor's note and offering for them to speak to my cardiologist, I was still not able to waive this credit this is dangerous for me in many ways; a highly alarming one is straining my heart and lungs, which can lead to a tear in my aorta, which is far more likely for me than a non-disabled student. These tears can fill with blood causing what is known as an aortic dissection which is a life threatening emergency. This is just one risk, for one person. Many other disabled students have other risks to their long term health from partaking in gym.

We have over half a million disabled minors living in this state and we all deserve the right to put our health first and opt out of gym by providing a valid doctor's note outlining the risks if we were to partake and approval by a school counselor. Follow us on instagram or TikTok at Ohio4Disablities for more information. 

For inquiries or more information please email me zabonik.abigail@gmail.com