Should the grade you get in Theology be factored into your grade point average?

Notre Dame Academy is a Catholic private school and Theology is a mandatory class that all students take each year. Here at Notre Dame we have the freedom to talk about God and I think it’s important for students to learn more about the faith through four years of Theology classes.

However, what about the students who don’t practice the Catholic faith? While 87 percent of the student body follows the Catholic religion, 13 percent don’t, according to the NDA website.

The 13 percent of students who are not Catholic may argue that it’s not fair that the grade they receive in Theology should affect their GPA when their GPA can affect where they go to college.

Notre Dame is a school that provides a great education which may be the reason why some people who don’t believe in God  go here. However, with that great education comes a mandatory Theology class for all students and with a class comes a grade.

If Theology isn’t factored into a student’s grade point average because that student practices a different faith, then that isn’t fair to the students who are Catholic. Let’s be honest. Even some Catholic students struggle in Theology and that grade can really take a toll on their GPA.

Out of the 13 percent who are non-Catholics at NDA, some may also say that they shouldn’t have to take a class that goes against their beliefs, forcing them to write papers and take tests about a subject that they may think is false. Since Theology is an unfamiliar course to them, non-Catholic students feel they are at a disadvantage in the classroom and have to work harder than their Catholic counterparts.

Grades are important here at Notre Dame Academy and so is the Catholic faith. Some people who aren’t Catholic may not want to take a religion class, but after all, it is a Catholic school, and religion classes are important.

However, taking a Theology class when you don’t practice the faith can also be a good thing. Learning new material is never a bad thing. Even if you don’t believe in the material that is being taught, if you get good grades in the class, it can actually improve your GPA.