InsideOut

In order to meet the demand for higher scores in reading and math, and to secure funding from the federal government, the arts have nearly always been the first programs to go.

According to a Harris Poll on the attitudes of Americans toward arts education, 86 percent agreed that education in the arts encourages and improves a child's attitude toward school. In the same poll, 93 percent believe that arts education is essential for children's development and for their well-being.

Many studies show that involvement in the arts drastically improves SAT scores. Children involved in the arts are more likely to get involved in other school programs, are less likely to use drugs, are less prone to stress, and tend to have a more positive outlook on life.

Why then are the arts taking a backseat to the hard sciences and reading when education in the arts has been shown to enhance learning and overall development?

According to Academic Preparation for College: What Students Need to Know and Be Able to Do, the arts are one of the six subject areas that the College Board recognizes as essential in order to thrive in college.

Many employers also recognize an employee's involvement in the arts as an important asset to the company. Joseph M. Calahan, director of Corporate Communications for Xerox Corporation states that arts education aids students in skills needed in the workplace: flexibility, the ability to solve problems and communicate; the ability to learn new skills, to be creative and innovative, and to strive for excellence.

At a children's art exhibit I visited, a seventh grader had written, "Without passion, there is no art; without art, there is no passion."

In our increasingly stressful school systems, instead of hammering in more math and science to deal with faltering test scores, providing experiences in art may be the calm, quiet solution.

Tim Gebhart
Epoch Times Staff

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