Assignment for February 22: Take a position on a controversial topic relating to education

Funding for the Arts: It's IMPORTANT!!!

So many schools today do not even have art or music programs, which frankly is just sad. I think the fact that schools are cutting funding for the arts, especially music, is ridiculous. It has been proven by studies upon studies that music increases test scores and attention spans, so why when schools are so concerned with raising standardized test scores for NCLB do they cut art and music classes first? I know, funding is hard to find and technically reading, math and science are the "important" classes, but I think for many students, the arts are what keep them going during the school day. And if that is true, the only thing that is going to be achieved by cutting the arts is lower test scores and more students not caring about school. In one of my favorite movies of all time, Mr. Holland's Opus, there is a great section of dialouge about cutting the arts that goes like this:

(Vice Principal Walters): "I care about these kids just as much as you do. And if I'm forced to choose between Mozart and reading and writing and long division, I choose long division."

(Glenn Holland:) "Well, I guess you can cut the arts as much as you want, Gene. Sooner or later, these kids aren't going to have anything to read or write about."

In my mind that about sums up the debate on whether or not schools are hurting students when they cut the arts. Not only do the arts help students out in the "academic" areas of school, but they teach valuable life skills such as hard work, perserverance, patience, cooperation, collaberation, and active listening that can be used in any aspect of any job in the future. So even if students don't choose a career in the arts doesn't mean that they cannot transfer the knowledge they learn in an art or music classroom. If as educators we are concerned about our students being able to compete in the global economy then the skills that art and music classes teach students should be valued just as much as "academics" and not be considered dispensable.