As if it its not bad enough that art programs in schools are cut left and right, now a school specializing in the arts faces possible closure! When is enough really enough? When and where do we draw the line?
“The Arts” are just as important as subjects such as History, Math, Science, and English. According to “Living the Arts through Language + Learning: A Report on Community-based Youth Organizations,” Shirley Brice Heath:
Young people who participate in the arts for at least three hours on three days each week through at least one full year are:
» 4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement
» 3 times more likely to be elected to class office within their schools
» 4 times more likely to participate in a math and science fair
» 3 times more likely to win an award for school attendance
» 4 times more likely to win an award for writing an essay or poem
Young artists, as compared with their peers, are likely to:
» Attend music, art, and dance classes nearly three times as frequently
» Participate in youth groups nearly four times as frequently
» Read for pleasure nearly twice as often
» Perform community service more than four times as often
As a product of the Los Angeles Unified School District, I participated in the Arts in elementary, junior high, and high school. I played an instrument, participated in dance, and theater. I wasn’t an A student but I did well above average. I was an elected student body officer in elementary, junior high, and high school. I participated in a Science fair (once). My attendance was close to perfect. I never entered any essay competitions but I’m sure If I had, I would’ve done ok. I took music and dance classes after school. I was in and started a few of my own youth groups. I read for pleasure then and now. I served my community then and now. I say all of this to point out that I find Shirley Brice Heath’s research to be on point. I’m not an exception, majority of my friends can give similar (if not the same) account of their school years.
“The Arts” allow kids to express themselves and explore their creativity. In many cases, Art is a productive way to escape and/or rise above negative environmental factors. Art makes learning fun. There are numerous reasons we should all fight to keep Art education in our schools. What really hits home the most for me is:
“Art education has a measurable impact on at-risk youth in deterring delinquent behavior and truancy problems while also increasing overall academic performance among those youth engaged in afterschool and summer arts programs targeted toward delinquency prevention.” —YouthARTS Development Project, 1996, U.S. Department of Justice, National Endowment for the Arts, and Americans for the Arts
Today I received an email from my friend Joyce regarding Los Angeles Academy for the Arts & Enterprise (also known as LAAAE), a public charter school in downtown L.A.
- The LAAAE student body is 91% Latino, 6% African American, 3% Asian. 90% from low-income families.
- LAAAE offers college-prep curriculum that focuses on arts, enterprise, and the business of the arts.
- LAAAE has increased API scores by 12% in two years.
- LAAAE offers 50% more instructional minutes that allow all students to have visual arts, music, and business classes in addition to the core subjects.
- LAAAE created a 501(c)3 non profit and raised $1.3MM in grants and donations in the past three years to support its enriched education.
Yet LAUSD wants to close LAAAE! Why? I have no idea. Perhaps its part of the massive layoff plan and cramming 40 kids to a class strategy. We should not allow ANY cuts to education! We need our schools. We need our teachers. We all need to step up.
Click Here to Help Save Los Angeles Academy of Arts
http://www.laaae.org/save-laaae.html
Stop Teacher Layoffs & Increased Class Sizes
PACK THE BOARD
On Tuesday, March 31, the Los Angeles School Board postponed a vote on employee layoffs until the School Board meeting on April 14th.
The District plans to spread the federal stimulus money over the next two years rather than using it all up front…NOW… when it would save thousands of jobs, as Congress and the President intended.
On April 14 at the board meeting demand that LAUSD use all the federal stimulus money NOW, before ANY layoffs are implemented.
WHERE: LAUSD headquarters – 333 So. Beaudry, Los Angeles (map)
The Arts allow kids to express themselves and explore their creativity. extremely agree
I'll post this on my Facebook, thanks Marenda!
Hi,
I will try to save the art academy.
I think a huge part of our problem today in the US is that we do not encourage creativity. In our schools they have taken away recess and physical education classes so in-turn our children become heavier as a whole. They take away art and music classes so our children lose creativity which is what it takes to solve many complex problems not only in business but also in life. I hope with Obama in office now and Duncan running the education that they will start putting more emphasis on the small things that matter.
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coz The Arts allow kids to express themselves. thanks before…
This is an important cause and I do think that the youth deserve the education they deserve and to express them freely.
we should promote the art among the people to nourish their creativity as there are many people who are not aware of their inner art…
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This is an outrage. People wonder why today's children would rather sit around and play video games, and why they lack the creativity of a generation ago. It's no surprise. Children are naturally creative, but they need an outlet to allow it to flourish. Taking the outlet away is like taking the sunlight away from a plant. Overloading the teachers with too many students per class only adds to the problem. Thank you for posting this.
I didn't know that art could make such impact on kids.I believed its more of like a destress remedy and thus, the kids are able to do well in studies and other forms to excel.
Art is so important to today's youth, taking art away from children simply should not be done. Creativity in our children is our future.
I think the arts are important but I don't think that we need to continually depend on the government paying for everything. That worries me. I think it's much more powerful if parents get involved. Or grandparents. You get the idea. I think arts teach you to think. Whether it's learning to play a musical instrument or playing on the chess team.
arts is in human instinct
it can not be diminished
The Arts allow all of us to express ourselves and explore the creativity.
I hope with Obama in office now and Duncan running the education that they will start putting more emphasis on the small things that matter.Taking the outlet away is like taking the sunlight away from a plant. Overloading the teachers with too many students per class only adds to the problem.
Arts are important I hope this program does not disapear. I do know there are local colleges that try to participate in an 'art smart' program where art students will go to schools and teach art after school. Its a great program to suppliment the arts programs still available and offer great after school activities.
In our schools they have taken away recess and physical education classes so in-turn our children become heavier as a whole. They take away art and music classes so our children lose creativity which is what it takes to solve many complex problems not only in business but also in life.I hope with Obama in office now and Duncan running the education that they will start putting more emphasis on the small things that matter.
It's as though LAUSD is losing sight of the balance of education needed to have well rounded students. Teachers also need the opportunities to encourage a variety of lesson plans and not feel stuck
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I think the arts are important but I don't think that we need to continually depend on the government paying for everything
We'd love to help save the arts and although we might not know the difference between a Monet and who painted the Mona Lisa, we do help Los Angeles residents with moving art and personal property.