DON'T CUT THE ARTS!

 By Ray Cohen

            In my home state of Connecticut, the economy is not going very well, and my town of Coventry, as well as many other towns, is having to make tough choices when it comes to their budget.  Since public education is always a huge item in any town budget, the board of education is always under pressure to make cuts and save money.  Unfortunately, one of the first places that seems to get targeted for cuts is arts programs in the schools.  This is probably because the arts, such as music programs and visual art classes, might seem like luxuries or extras when it comes to  balancing a budget.

            A few years ago a superintendent in California was quoted as saying, “Why should I pay music teachers when my students can’t read?” (Hetland, 2008, p. 1).  This is the same kind of question that comes up today in Town Council and Board of Ed meetings in my hometown and many others.  People ask, why should we pay for kids to paint and play the flute when they’re already falling behind in math and science and other “real” subjects?  Some people might think the arts are nice extras for kids to have, but if something has to be cut from the budget, it’s the extras that have to go.

            However, one thing that everyone needs to realize is that the arts actually should not be viewed as “extras.”  The arts are vital to education, and not just for students who plan on being artists.  The arts actually help most students become better thinkers in many subjects.  There is much evidence to support this.  In fact, evidence shows that the students who are involved in the arts have higher standardized test scores (Smith , 2009).  Research from Harvard shows that the arts in education is one of the best ways to teach students critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and synthesis skills (Hetland, 2008).

The Board of Education in my town, and all other towns, should consider the point of view of Robert Root-Bernstein, who is a MacArthur Fellow and Professor of Physiology Michigan State University.  He says, “I've just published a study that shows that almost all Nobel laureates in the sciences are actively engaged in arts…Many connect their art with their scientific creativity.  Moreover, the folks who produce new patentable inventions and found the new companies to produce them – they, too, are artistically trained.  Ninety percent of them, in interviews, expressed the opinion that the arts should be part of every scientists’ and technologists’ education” (Baker, 2012, Pro and Con section).  Professor Root-Bernstein is a scientist, not an artist, but he is a total supporter of arts in education because he understands that the arts help students learn to be creative thinkers and problem solvers.  As he sums up, “Successful innovators in science and technology are artistic people.  Stimulate the arts, and you stimulate innovation” (Baker, 2012, Pro and Con section).

            Some people in my town who speak up at our town budgets meetings point out that if parents want “extras” for their kids – like the arts and sports – then they are free to pay for it on their own.  I remember when I was attending a town meeting for my Civics class in high school, one mother who didn’t want her taxes raised said something like, “My kids take piano lessons, and I’m pay for them myself, and other people can do the same.”  The problem with that attitude is that not all children have parents who can afford to expose them to the arts.  School may be the only place where many kids will ever come into contact with the arts, and for many kids, the arts can change and even save their lives.  As a society we need to give this opportunity to all kids, not just the kids from middle class or rich homes. 

            Here is what the U.S. Department of Education Secretary, named Arne Duncan, said about this in 2010:  “In America, we do not reserve arts education for privileged students or the elite.  Children from disadvantaged backgrounds, students who are English language learners, and students with disabilities often do not get the enrichment experiences of affluent students anywhere except at school.  President Obama recalls that when he was a child ‘you always had an art teacher and a music teacher.  Even in the poorest school districts everyone had access to music and other arts.’  Today, sadly, that is no longer the case” (NEA, 2011).  It really bothers me to think that many kids today are missing out on discovering their own talents in the arts and missing out on learning just because they are poor.

            It’s great that the arts help kids learn more and do better on tests, but there is more to it than just grades and academics.  The arts may be the one thing that helps some students feel good about themselves.  Being involved in band, drama, photography or some other art experience can help kids out emotionally and socially in really important ways.  The arts can give kids a reason to want to be at school in the first place and can motivate them to stay in school.

            I can speak from personal experience about why it’s important to have arts in the school.  I can honestly say that music has saved my life. Fortunately I had an amazing band teacher in high school that was also a fellow percussionist. He was absolutely incredible, and ingrained music into my soul and my life has benefited dramatically since it became a serious part of my life. I always played music forever but never had the passion for it as I did in high school with the exposure he gave me. Music is what set me apart from many of my friends, it gave me motivation to work harder so I could spend more time on it, it provides comfort in an activity instead of festering negative thoughts, its fun, and connects me with all human beings. Music especially, but all art for that matter creates a common ground of something bigger than any individual and allows individuals to come together. Music has allowed me to create friendships and connections with people that have helped the quality of my life so much. I have rhythm from drumming inside me now, and that is something that I value very much, and something that no one can ever take away from me. Many times teachers of the arts see the world in a different way. My teacher allowed me to begin to see the world differently and truly changed my perception of life for the better, in a difficult time in high school. Many students like me struggle to connect in other subjects but art or music can give them meaning in life. Without them in our schools, we are cheating students out of potentially the most important experiences in their lives.

References

Baker, B. (2012, March 16). Arts Education. CQ Researcher, 22, 253-276. Retrieved

            from http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/

Hetland, L. (2008, March). “Basically, Arts Are Basic.” School Administrator Mar. 2008:

 14+.  Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com

Rabkin, N. (2011, Feb. 24).  “Arts Education In America.” National Endowment for the     Arts.  Retrieved from www.nea.gov

Smith. F. (2009, Jan. 28).  “Why Arts Education Is Crucial, and Who’s Doing It Best.”     Edutopia.  Retrieved from www.edutopia.org