wizardmarks wrote: > I wouldn't be so quick to identify promotion of the arts > with hypocrisy. There are eductional benefits to the arts > which go beyond just knowing a particular art. Music helps > kids with math. Drawing and painting with a specific type of > hand-eye coordination and spacial relationships, theater > arts help with self-confidence--among other things. Even > though I grew up in a dirt poor school, the nuns saw to it > that we had music, art, and theater. These things also help > a child to become a self-entertaining adult which has the > potential to keep them away from the gangs. The baloney > promulgated that the arts are not an integral part of > education have been a disservice to all kids.
I am not opposed to arts courses. In my lifetime I've taken courses in modern dance, theater, music, ceramics, textiles, woodworking, jewelry, stained glass, and metal working. I am a strong proponent of the view that students should have a wide breadth of experiences. However, my point was that our FIRST priority should be to insure that ALL students have the basic skills necessary to succeed academically. My second point is that it seems that many parents are satisfied with the status quo as long as THEIR children make it though the public schools. I'm saying that status quo is NOT acceptable. We cannot and should not tolerate a public school system in which 50% of students fail to graduate. People take to the streets when one individual is killed at the hands of the police, and yet they remain silent while the educational system is killing children slowly with their song and dance. Michael Atherton Prospect Park _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
