Are Art & Music Programs In Schools Important?

         With the lack of money available to schools these days many are having to say farewell to any and all art programs their schools had previously offered. For some reason it seems that when cuts need to be made the arts are the first thing to go. 
          Surprisingly many people are all for the arts being cut out of our schools. In an article written for the Sun Sentennial a college student named Nadia Abramson goes on about all the reasons she thinks the arts should be cut from all schools. She believes that the arts are just a huge meaningless distraction from the educational process going as far as to say "Students get too passionate about their art classes and completely neglect their core classes." She uses the analogy of a boring academic lecture saying that the artists and the musicians are quick to doodle or think about other things and as a result are learning nothing in the actual lesson. I will admit that there have been many a times when I've zoned out of class thinking about the dance combination I learned in class last week or doodling some crazy little design on a page in my notebook. I wouldn't go as far as to say that it is the art programs fault. I think if I wasn't thinking about the arts i'd be thinking about something else. 
              As a dancer I feel that the benefits of art and music programs outweigh any possible negatives. I found that dance not only taught me to work hard and be dedicated but it gave me a way to express myself and also an outlet for my stress. Let's face it, sitting in a classroom for hours a day and then going home and doing homework can get a little overwhelming and it can suck the life right out of you, I love school, but it's the truth. What dance did for me was refueled me and helped me handle stress better. 
              There are so many benefits to art and music programs. In an article supporting the arts in schools written in the Washington Post. The writer stresses the importance of these programs especially for kids in low-income neighborhoods. The arts have been proven to not only increase academic performance (rather than hinder it as Nadia argued), but it also has shown that it improves the way children feel about school and education. On a website supporting children participation in the arts it says that because students are being taught to the test and are taught that there is one right answer and a million wrong ones they are becoming hesitant in their creative processes and not being able to let themselves go and just create. A quote in the post says " Once children see that it’s okay to try and even make mistakes, it builds their confidence.  This feeling can spill over in to other aspects of their school experience and lives." This is so important especially for children who struggle in academics because it makes school better and makes them not feel like failures. It is also important to realize that if you look at history it is filled with art. Paintings, drawings, music and dance are things that really define a culture. If we are deaming these as not important than what will our culture be. Will it just be check marks on a scan tron sheet? I sure hope not. 

Sources

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2009-02-19/features/0902180109_1_art-classes-electoral-college-students

http://art4kids.weebly.com/why-does-art-matter.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/therootdc/post/will-less-art-and-music-in-the-classroom-really-help-students-soar-academically/2012/12/28/e18a2da0-4e02-11e2-839d-d54cc6e49b63_blog.html