Texas schools only require a couple of credits of PE, while Pennsylvania schools required a credit each year -
Gym teachers here are often among the highest paid members of the bargaining unit -- earning up to $70,000 (not incl benefits or coaching fees) for 190 days a year of pretty soft work.
Michigan, where I went to high school for three years, required no PE. I arrived to Texas, and the school told me I couldn't graduate on time because I didn't have enough PE and I couldn't take two PE classes at the same time.
I was taking calculus, advanced chemistry, Latin, etc my senior year, but I couldn't graduate due to PE. I took my case to KPRC's answer to Marvin Zindler. Ron Stone said that we had all heard of no pass-no play, well, Channel 2 had discovered a case of no play-no pass. The local school district was shamed into allowing me to graduate. I graduated on time in the top 10% with a full ride to A&M.