I commend Walter Reil for most of his observations in his commentary “STEM the tide” (May 17). It is true, I hear it all the time from educators, that the No Child Left Behind Act in fact really means “most children left behind.” Its principle focus—testing—certainly is a national crime. However, Reil neglects to acknowledge the crucial importance of art in genuine education. While perfect test scores have become the Holy Grail, the arts, which have no definitive tests as do STEM courses, have been eroded, in many cases eliminated altogether in our schools. Arts have been disregarded by educators, perceived as classroom frills, recreational wastes of time, presented in too many instances by teachers who lack arts training.
Reil’s on-the-mark observation, “… students will be unable to provide the innovation necessary to build a modern infrastructure … ,” has been echoed in many corners, including pronouncements from corporate leaders who wonder where the “outside-the-box” thinkers will come from in the next generation. Will we be forced to find them offshore (where we’ve already sent most of our manufacturing jobs) to develop the next series of solutions this nation will depend on? What Reil fails to see is the innovation he desires comes from thinkers inspired by the tools arts education provides. New perceptions and fresh analyses are driven by imagination and curiosity, which the arts stimulate.
Reil’s crusade would be bolstered if arts education were on equal footing with mathematics and science instruction. The facts are incontrovertible: The arts enhance academics, improve SAT scores, increase school attendance. Students who study music have been consistently shown to improve their math scores, theater arts improve verbal and reading skills, and the arts can motivate students who are otherwise disinterested or at a disadvantage. The arts strengthen problem solving and creative thinking while bridging cultural differences and improving self-confidence.
We must avoid the mindset that the arts are a luxury or frill. They are essential—at the very core of what it is to be human. If direct personal improvement weren’t reason enough to compel greater support for the arts, consider the economic benefits. In this state alone, the arts amount to a $2.5-billion economy with 200,000 directly related jobs, generating $100 million in state and local taxes. There is simply no reason we should be last among the states in spending per pupil for education in the arts.
One final note: Students who participate in the arts for at least nine hours every week during a school year are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement than those who don’t, four times more likely to participate in a math-and-science fair, are three times more likely to win an award for school attendance, and are four times more likely to win an award for writing an essay or poem (statistics from the California Arts Council).
If schools were going to cancel football, people would protest in the streets. That hasn’t been the case for the losses we’ve seen in arts education. Please do your part and stand up for the arts.
Craig Shafer is president of the Santa Maria Arts Council. Send comments via the opinion editor at econnolly@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in May 26 – Jun 2, 2011.