Do me a favor and think back to what it was like for you in high school. Whether you just graduated, or your kids are just graduating, try and think back to the kinds of classes you took or even the kinds of classes that were offered at your school. I think you would find that most people would say that they took the typical core classes (Math, English, History, Science, etc.) and maybe one music or art class where they basically sat around and did nothing the whole time. There is something seriously wrong with that.
Schools always place more importance on general education classes than they do the arts. And to be honest, I can see why. People have always believed that spending four years learning the skills the general education classes give you will better prepare you for college and the “real world.” Granted, that is probably true and trust me, I’m definitely not here to tell you that those classes are a waste of time and are not important. They most definitely are. I am just here to tell you that taking classes in the arts is just as important as taking general education classes.
The sole purpose of taking those classes in high school and in college is to build the skills to be a well-rounded individual who is knowledgeable in many different areas. However, being a well-rounded individual requires you to be able to access both sides of your brain. Not just the logical, calculated left side, but also the creative, imaginative right side. I’m sorry, but there is not a single person in the world that can convince me that a math class is going to adequately stimulate my creativity. I think people really underestimate how important it is to maintain the ability to be creative and thinking abstractly. It’s the creative minds that start revolutions, who spread happiness, who change your perspective. It’s the creative minds that change the world.
When I was in high school, the classes in the arts were always the first to go with budget cuts. Amazing teachers were laid off, art classes had less money to use for supplies and our theatre program could only afford the rights to small shows. These small cuts are really what chip away at students’ ability to fuel their creative minds. And it isn’t just that there wasn’t enough money, it was more than that. People genuinely do not care about the arts. If it isn’t on the SAT and it isn’t a sport, it’s not important.
It pains me to see the way our educational system views the arts. Many people believe these classes distract students from their studies in general education courses. This really could not be farther from the truth. Having one or two art or music classes interspersed in a student’s day gives them the ability to switch between their creative and logical focuses. It allows time to rest while still being stimulated in different ways. The brain is a muscle just like your hamstrings or your biceps. It needs rest just as much as they do.
I worry that the arts are going to become something people just hear and see and not actually something they strive to achieve. After spending most of my life pursuing music, I can’t imagine what it would be like to feel like pursuing music wasn’t even a possibility.
