The Student News Site of the Latin School of Chicago

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The Student News Site of the Latin School of Chicago

The Forum

The Student News Site of the Latin School of Chicago

The Forum

Why Latin Theatre Deserves More Than Arts Credits

Noa Rosenberg Before I start, I know what you’re thinking. Here goes another theater kid griping about not getting credits and coercing the god-fearing citizens of this school to join the theater department. This is (on some levels) exactly that. But, I promise not to be too gripe-y and to say some things that you may have never heard. As we begin to think about our classes next year, the question of credits inevitably rises. As do the questions of free periods, graduation requirements, and course overloads. How do we manage time? What gym classes do we take? What about art credits? It is well known that if you do a sport at Latin, you don’t have to take gym during that quarter. If you do not play a sport, then you need to take a Physical Ed. class during school time to fulfill those credits. The reasoning behind this seems to be that if you play a sport, then you need time to do homework during the day and also get exercise outside of school. This is valid and they should absolutely get credit, but there is an inequality here.         Another well-known aspect of the Latin experience is the arts credit conundrum, which starts with one’s visual arts requirement freshman year. But more is needed afterwards: 1.5 art credits (one half needing to be performing arts). Now, doing plays does not fill this art credit. It does seem to take up time after school that could warrant an extra free period during the day. It also gives students the art experience that they would get from a class.                  Those, however, are not the only reasons that theater should grant one credits. Doing a production gives everyone involved so much more than a class. The lessons we learn from theater are those that we keep for a lifetime. Some argue that if credit was given for theater, then the motive of those who join would be wrong, but I believe that regardless of how one might go into it, we all develop a deep caring for the production and everyone involved.         While it is certainly unfair that students who participate in theatre still have to fill their art credits, I encourage anyone thinking about doing the next play to go for it. Forget credits for now—we are working on absolving the art credits for theatre participants. For now, if theater is a thing that you have ever considered, come on and join. You might just learn something.]]>

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Why Latin Theatre Deserves More Than Arts Credits