Lincoln University, located in Oxford, Pennsylvania, has created a Too-Fat-To-Graduate Rule that has made people upset. At Lincoln University, students with a body mass index of 30 or above are required to take a thrice-weekly fitness course. Students who are required to take the course, but do not complete it, can’t graduate from Lincoln University.

One Lincoln university student named Tiana Lawson, 21, is upset because the policy affects if she can graduate. As reported in a CNN article, Tiana is over the maximum index for the rule’s body mass requirement. Lawson put off getting her BMI tested until this year, and now she’s learned she must take the class to graduate. She believes her weight should not prevent her from graduating. Lawsom said, “I didn’t come to Lincoln to be told that my weight is not in acceptable range. I came here to get an education which as a three-timer honor student, is something I have been doing quite well, despite the fact that I have a slight high body mass index.”

The chairman of Lincoln’s Department of Health and Physical Education, James Deboy, says the requirement intends to bring the success for the students.

“We, as educators, must tell students when we believe, in our heart of hearts, when certain factors, certain behaviors, attitudes, whatever, are going to hinder that student from achieving and maximizing their life goals,” he said in the CNN article.

Some students aren’t upset by the BMI rule. Brittani Panton, a 19-year-old Lincoln University student, likes the rule. The way she looks at it, the requirement rule is an easy way to earn extra credit.

This topic really intrigues me because I really don’t believe you can prevent somebody from graduating just because he or she is overweight. Just because you do not fits a certain weight class don’t mean you shouldn’t receive a diploma. School should be a place where you can learn and excel, not a place where you get put down for your weight. Some people can’t help that they are overweight. The rule is basically telling a person who loves to eat that should not eat as much as they normally would.

Obesity is an issue that some people really struggle with. When I started researching statistics on obesity, I found some astonishing facts. According to buzzle.com, obese young people, especially teenagers, have a 70% chance of being obese as adults. What is even worse is that the percentage increases to 80% if either one or both of the parents are obese as well. In my opinion, being obese is not a good thing, but obesity is not a reason to prevent someone from college graduation.
—Alexi Drier