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Importance of Theater

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Importance of Theater
Theater has been an influential factor in many people 's lives. Creativity can flourish, academics can improve, and means of self-expression can be developed. It is important to have mandatory theater classes because when a student participates, they benefit significantly. Theater can be influential in all aspects of life. Participating in theater classes can stimulate student 's creativity and thought process. This can create a more tolerant attitude because the creative process of theater leads children to be more open-minded. In the future, students who have grown up with theater will become more tolerant of sensitive issues, which will provide them with better living conditions worldwide. Theater can also be used to promote active learning in any subject to give students a better understanding of a topic. In this way, theater accomplishes several goals at once by inspiring students ' school experience through theater as well as reinforcing traditional academics.
Those who oppose theater programs in schools argue that budgeting and financial troubles are the main cause of the elimination of these programs. Due to fear of financial strain, cuts of art programs in public schools have become a more frequent occurrence. Overall, reports have shown that the percentage of kids with access to theater has declined fifty percent in the past five years (Hurley). Nationwide, schools have been focusing on reading and math testing requirements that were issued by “No Child Left Behind”. Some states have doubled their time spent on reading and math classes to ensure that they do not fall behind the requirements that are continuously being raised by other schools. “No Child Left Behind,” with its pressure to raise test scores, has reduced classroom time devoted to the arts.
About one hundred of the school 's lowest-performing students are barred from taking anything except math, reading and gym (Dillon). Although these opposing arguments do hold some truth, it has been



Cited: Dillon, Sam. "Schools Cut Back Subjects to Push Reading and Math." 26 Mar. 2006. 16 Nov. 2008 . Hurley, Ryan. "Cuts in Art Programs Leave Sour Note in Schools." 14 Nov. 2008 . Nieves, Anne-Marie. "Advocates Gather at Public Hearings on September 9 to Contest Further Cuts to Music Education Programs in CA Schools." 7 Nov. 2008 . Smith, Fran. "Why Arts Education Is Crucial, and Who 's Doing It Best." California School Boards Association. 28 Jan. 2009. Web. . Winner, Ellen, and Lois Hetland. "Art for Our Sake." The Boston Globe 2 Sept. 2007. Print.

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