Taking the Arts out of Education?

By: Ilyssa Trussel
By: Ilyssa Trussel

String music teacher Jane Scott has been giving lessons for years. She knows how important it is for teenagers to have music in their lives.

"It gives them a creative outlet that they might not have in any other subject. It's something that's recreational and enjoyable that can give them a lifelong skill."

But not everyone can afford private music lessons. That's why some say arts should be required in the public school system.

"Students who have more years of arts also do better in all of their academic subjects and we think that's a benefit that all students should have," said James Perry with the Center for Fine Arts Education.

Chairman Ralph Arza says the bill is not eliminating the arts, it’s just not mandating it.

"Right now arts is not required. There is a practical arts with three choices, so right now you could actually go through high school and not take any arts at all."

To some lawmakers that's not acceptable. They want the governor's A + + plan to include a learning tool through the arts.

"There's a lot of different ways kids learn, and you can't put them in the same mold, and for many of them the arts program, whether it’s music or performing arts or play or theatre, might be the thing that keeps them motivated and helps them learn how to read or some of the other skills that they need," said Rep. Frank Farkas.

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