The Art Education System

 Every student deserves a well-rounded education. Yet select schools are either cutting the arts program, which includes an art class and or music because, to the school board, it is seen as unnecessary. Schools should realize the importance of arts programs, and have them be as important as any other course.  

                     Art programs are crucial to the learning process. It exercises the generic skills needed for students to grow. In Richard J. Deasy’s writing of "Critical Links: Learning in the Arts and Student Academic and Social Development." He states that there are learning qualities attributed to art such as teamwork, concentration, and sometimes even improve confidence. To students who take these classes seriously, it improves motivation also.

            Then in the article “Prediction: Identifying Potential Dropouts.”, written by the Center for Public Education, it declares that students, who don’t take art, or art related classes, seriously are this way mostly because of their teachers may not be qualified enough, therefore the subject isn’t as enforced as it should be. There are under-qualified teachers because the school system doesn’t want to invest as much money into art education. As a result, students are less interested in the subject, and giving administration and the school board less of a reason to fund and support the art program.

            Schools realize that art is important, but cuts are being made because of tight budgets. There are statistics and countless evidence that art is necessary for developmental growth, and schools are aware of it, but not enough to keep the program. This is supported by the National Art Education Association in an article published as, “Two Opportunities for Input on the Role of Arts in Early Childhood.”

                       Most schools, especially from the grades kindergarten through eighth grade, see art as nonessential, until a student wants to peruse art as a career. Then it becomes more focused on in high school, but not always.In Fran Smith’s article “Why Arts Education is Crucial and Who’s Doing it Best”, it states that privileged children are more exposed to art within their family, compared to underprivileged who lack that experience within their home because of financial challenges. 

                       As children first experience the education system either in preschool or kindergarten and build their way up to high school, then in most cases college, art education is poorly distributed equally and thoroughly along that journey. It is essential to call attention to the position of art in the education system. School systems need to notice this, but nothing will happen unless there are petitions, or one directly calls out to a school board administrator. As sculptor Magdalena Abakanowicz has once said “Art does not solve problems, but makes us aware of their existence.”