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Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Arts For All Or Some?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I spent my morning yesterday at the State Department of Education, reading through nearly 250 comments submitted on the recently proposed high school graduation rule.
Most of the comments were critical of the new requirements, which would do away with current rules that allow students to choose from a college prep, career prep or dual college-career program.
What struck me was the number of complaints about the deletion of fine arts as a specified option for a graduation credit. (Computer technology suffered the same fate.)
Granted, most of those concerns seemed to come from one local school system where art teachers must have been mobilized to respond on the issue. But there were also noteworthy comments from art professors at the University of Georgia and from the sculptor of the state’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial (which, coincidentally, is located just outside the education department’s building).
Students still would be able to take classes such as chorus, dance and drama, which could count toward credit requirements. But teachers worry that — if fine arts isn’t spelled out as an acceptable credit option — the number of enrollees would drop severely, and, consequently, their departments would suffer.
I think the question essentially comes down to this: Are some electives more important than others — and therefore, should be required courses — or not?
