Fairly often, the debate about funding the arts in public schools comes into discussion. There are many fair points on both sides, but I believe it is painfully obvious that the arts, especially music, should stay a focal point in our schools and in how we fund schools. There are many reasons why the arts should be funded. I believe that the most important reason to fund the arts is the family that art groups build. Many children live in one parent households, and some hardly ever see their parents due to crazy work schedules or multiple jobs or a number of other things. Art programs give kids like this an outlet to have a family. Growing up, I had many friends whose parents were not very present in their lives. I know for a fact that music and band are what got them through school. Another very important reason to fund the arts in schools is the correlation between the arts and the ability to learn and critically think. Playing music or creating any art form requires using multiple parts of your brain. When you’re reading music and playing it you have to use your left side of your brain in order to perform the proper motor functions, such as note positioning and embouchure use. However, you also have to use the right side of your brain for interpretation of the music. The choice of how to play notes, long or short, soft or loud, all comes from the creative side of your brain. Due to the daily use of both sides of your brain, musician students, as well as all art students, tend to be more adept at critical thinking and problem solving. While there are arguments against funding the arts in schools and letting them be purely extra-curricular, I believe the positives greatly outweigh the negatives when it comes to funding.
This blog post was created as partial fulfillment of my final project for DMS 101.