Speak Up For Fine Arts Education's Future

I have been an outspoken advocate for elementary strings the past several years, because this course is a highly valued, high demand academic course that is part of the K-12 MMSD music curriculum but has been repeatedly put on the cut list without any meaningful curriculum planning taking place from year to year. However, I also strongly believe there has been a lack of long-term planning in all fine arts education since cuts began about 1999. Perhaps other academic areas have needed the administration's attention, such as reading and math. That's understandable, but the School Board missed yearly opportunities to put in place other structures to plan for the future of fine arts education in Madison - community committee is an example of one option they might have considered pursuing.

I was encouraged two weeks ago when the Performance and Achievement and Partnership Committee chairs indicated an interest in working on not only the cuts to elementary strings, but also other aspects of fine arts education. I hope a community-led fine arts education committee is formed from these two Board committees that will undertake long-term, strategic planning for fine arts education in Madison. I would like to see such planning include music, visual arts, dance, theater, etc. - all facets of the arts that bring joy and enrichment to the citizens in our community, growth to our city's economy now and in the future and play an important academic role in the excellent education our children receive.

Again, School Board members can be emailed at: comments@madison.k12.wi.us

Posted by at May 15, 2006 12:51 PM
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