The View from the Eye of the Perfect Storm
(The second in a three-part series)
by Robert B. Morrison
In Part One, we explored the beginnings of the modern-day arts education advocacy movement and the gains made throughout the 1990's. Ultimately, I concluded that our efforts over the past 14 years of advocacy have failed.
Here is why.
Arts Funding Cuts:
The poor economy and state budget shortfalls have hammered state funding for the arts. State arts councils (and as a result many of the local organizations they support) have seen a 40 percent decrease in funding over the past two years. Several states, including California, Colorado, Florida, Missouri, Michigan, and New Jersey, threatened to eliminate most or all funding for state arts councils. While only Missouri succeeded in eliminating all arts funding - I can't believe I am even saying this - Colorado and California were put on life support – with just enough funding to enable them to receive their portion of federal funding. The damages from cuts in Michigan and Florida are still being tallied.
Music and Arts Education Program Cuts:
The combination of the bad economy, state budget shortfalls and the local implementation of the “No Child Left Behind” (NCLB) legislation has hurt many public school music and arts education programs.
Communities such as Providence (RI), Yonkers (NY), Salem (OR), many school districts across the state of California and others across the country have eliminated public school music and arts programs. The Providence School District cut the arts in spite of contracts requiring that these programs be maintained. The major cuts to the Yonkers (NY) Public Schools reported in November were planned, in part, based on the need for the district to meet NCLB mandates.
Additionally, educators from across the country have quietly been voicing concern over the demands of the NCLB requirements and how the arts are being pushed aside in the name of “educational progress.” Many have been afraid to speak out publicly in fear (real or imagined) of some kind of retribution from their principals and superintendents.
From where I stand, this is educational malpractice not educational progress. This is not to say that the goals of NCLB are bad; in fact, they are admirable. No one can argue against the need to improve our schools and to raise student achievement, especially for students from diverse backgrounds whose performance is masked by school averages.
However, when school administrators are told that both they and their schools' performance will be measured based on the outcomes of students' performance on standardized tests in reading and math, the natural reaction is to put all available resources into these two subject areas. This usually occurs at the expense of the other subjects, including the arts. This is not what the NCLB legislation mandates—but it is the terrible unintended consequences come to life.
The very fact that public officials are eliminating the arts from public schools in the name of educational progress clearly demonstrates just how far we must travel, as a community, to make the case for the rightful place of the arts in the educational system of this country. Moreover, this assault on a balanced education inclusive of the arts underscores the lack of understanding regarding the broader role the arts play in our society.
Why Did This Happen?
Is it because we have not made the case? No. Well-crafted arguments regarding the role of the arts in education have been made based on both the intrinsic and extrinsic value of the arts.
Is it because we do not have enough evidence about the role of the arts in education? No. Both anecdotal and scientific research has substantially demonstrated the value of music and arts education.
Is this what the public wants? No. Opinion polls show the public supports the arts in our communities and believe they are a core part of the education of every child.
Then why?
Case and Point: Let's look at smoking. There is PLENTY of research on how smoking cigarettes will cause bad things to occur to one's health. Yet people smoke anyway. There is plenty of evidence about the important role the arts play in education and our society at large, but policy-makers cut the programs regardless. We know about the incredible economic impact the arts have in our local communities as well as the return on investment local governments receive by investing in the arts, yet funding is still eliminated.
So, why did this happen? Here are three areas to consider:
Lack of an Effective Arts Advocacy Effort. What we are lacking is a truly organized effort combining all of the resources of the arts community to speak with one voice AGRESSIVELY on behalf of the arts and arts education to POLICY MAKERS. From the top down - federal to state and state to local organizations we have lacked a cohesive strategy largely because arts organizations have tended to shy away from working together. The arts community is a large and diverse group with widely varying agendas and points of view. Historically, we have focused on the issues that make us different. This situation is compounded by divergent issues across the various arts disciplines and arts education groups. We must now focus on the values we have in common and galvanize as a community.
Solid Data. We do not have any clear data on the status of music and arts education in public schools. We have no solid data on the contributions of arts organizations to public school arts programs. We have lots of anecdotal evidence, but no clear benchmarks exist. If we are to measure our success or failures in the future… this must change.
Our arguments have been as fragmented as the arts community. Conflicting messages advanced by different organizations highlight the lack of coordination in the field and, as a result, have hurt us with policy and decision makers at all levels. When one group advocates one point of view and another group comes forward with a contradictory advocacy message, it confuses both policy makers and the public. Some of it is philosophical: do we teach the arts because of their intrinsic value or extrinsic value? Is there room for both points of view? Policy makers use these divisions in the field as a reason to do nothing. We provide them with an excuse to avoid addressing the core issues.
But, out of the challenges we now face, comes opportunity.
In Part Three, we will explore some thoughts on what these opportunities are, and the pathway to creating a positive environment for the arts through societal change.
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Have a comment? Email me at: bob@music-for-all.org .
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