Sure we've all heard of Save the Music, endorsed by VH1, but what do we really know about it? That some kids don't get to play music? That they have Alicia Keys on the commercials? We know about it but what do we really know about it?
The fact is, the issue is more than just a commercial between I Love New York and Scarred and it is more than just music programs that are being cut. There are drama classes, sports teams, dance classes, arts classes, and special needs programs that are suffering in public schools.
As students, we are often unaware of budget cuts and other situations their schools are facing that lead to the compromise of sports, arts, and special needs classes. There are many reasons for these sacrifices and many more consequences. Sure, the schools don't start out doing away with these classes, but they start cutting teachers' budgets for class materials and when that isn't enough, they cut the teachers' positions all together, doing away with the classes.
No one benefits in this kind of situation. Loosing these classes is a sacrifice on everyone's part, especially the students and their interest and attendance in school. The decision is made to compromise these classes by schools and their administrators who cut the classes, often in an attempt to not exceed the budget that they are assigned or to raise federal test scores in core subjects.
But what's really going on? Sadly, federal budget cuts in schools and federal testing are affecting students' school experience. Since the 1970s, federal budgets for schools have been eaten away by one thing or another. Most recently, it has been the decline in property values that has eaten away at district funds. City schools have yet to fully recover from the fiscal budget crisis of the 1970s and 80s and, more recently, the budget crisis of 2001. The budget crisis and the more recent budget cuts have most devastatingly hit the New York public school system but the budget issues still manage to have a grip on everyone. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, this year, at least twenty-eight states- including many of the nation's largest- are facing major fiscal budget shortcomings, twenty of those adding up to over thirty-eight billion dollars.
How does this hit home? South Carolina makes up 160 million of these thirty-eight billion dollars the government is short this year alone. Of course, that's nothing compared to New York's 4.7 billion or California's 14.5 billion. Since you don't pay to go to public schools, they have to get their money from fiscal sources- the state and federal government. When the government doesn't have enough money to go around, the first group they short is the public school system. Unfortunately, school budget crunches have been a trend over the past couple decades and span the entire nation, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Federal funding isn't the only cause for sport and art cuts. Federal testing on the core subjects- English and Math- also has a major impact on schools' decisions to cut arts, sports and special education budgets and classes. In an attempt to improve math and reading skills among students, subjects like science, history, gym, special needs, and especially the arts- like music, drama, and visual- are cut or shorted instructors and supplies to make the budget and study more focused on the core curriculum. The only solution districts see to increase standardized test scores is reducing the length of elective classes and putting more of the schools budget forth to the core classes. Schools console themselves and others that young people can take art classes and play on sports teams and get exercise outside of school but outside of school, all of these cost a substantial amount of money. The sad fact is, many public school students don't have the kind of money these things require so when arts and sports are cut, they settle for doing without them all together.
With no one benefiting, everyone is suffering from this situation we are stuck in. Teachers and coaches in these areas find it harder and harder to find jobs when the classes they would otherwise teach are being cut. Most importantly, the education of our nation's young people suffer. Many students need arts and sports to motivate them and help them do well in core classes. Kids who would otherwise go into careers in these areas being cut can no longer experience them when the schools don't offer classes in them. Kids that go to school for sports or the arts see no reason to come to school and work hard to stay in school if they have none of these to look forward to. In turn, schools' attendance rates and graduation rates suffer.
Education prepares you for life, to put it simply. That has always been the goal of education and it has always been the reason why school is so important to our country and many others. So why is it being sacrificed? Why are they cutting classes that teach skills and lessons you remember and use throughout your adult life? Schools blame budget cuts and federal testing, but if schools are prepared, they should be able to work around these obstacles without sacrificing the well being of the students that walk in their halls. Planning for future fiscal budget crisis's needs to be done. Budgets need to be managed more carefully and fairly. Every class deserves the right to not be compromised.
Schools and their districts say cuts they make are as a last resort and have to be made but other schools have proved them wrong. Schools in cities like Claremore, Oklahoma, Putnam City and Enid, Oklahoma, and Twin Falls, Idaho, have planned ahead and adjusted for the recent budget crises so they can avoid compromising any of their classes. In Claremore, teachers doubled as janitors, cleaning their own classrooms, sweeping, and cleaning the cafeteria and bathrooms. Teachers in Twin Falls gave up a day's pay to help cover the audiologist's salary so her job and her students' education wouldn't be sacrificed. In Putnam City and Enid, principals and vice principals decided to serve as substitute teachers to save on substitute costs.
Rather than pinching teachers' classroom budgets and even their classes, districts should first sacrifice ancillary things like cutting back on toilet paper. Rather than buying extra ancillary items, schools should buy as they are used or only buy what is needed and use it up. Schools can easily pass up buying the newest edition of textbooks, upgrading computers every year, and repainting the school as often, just to name a few. When push comes to shove, schools can consolidate administrative positions and have teachers clean their own classrooms rather than employing several janitors. Cutting bus routes is a little extreme but in several cases has been considered and employed because it can save costs tremendously. This can potentially compromise students' chances to participate in after school programs such as drama productions, team sports, and even tutoring, but it is a bright alternative to cutting arts, special needs programs and sports all together.
There are many reasons why arts get compromised in public schools but in most cases, these cuts can be prevented. So why aren't they? Schools admit to minimizing impact on federally tested areas by cutting classroom staff and materials in classes like music, sports, drama, art, and business classes. Recent federal budget crises have had a major impact on the funds schools are supplied with but rather than consolidating and being frugal about the choices they make, districts and schools instead look to cutting arts, sports and special needs classes as the answer. Programs and subjects that keep some kids going to school and doing well in tested areas are being neglected and sometimes even sacrificed because of budget cuts and poor federal test results.
Can we let this continue? It is hurting if not us, our fellow students' educations and school experiences, and if it continues, it may well affect our children's education and chance to be what they want. It can be stopped, and it should be stopped.
