Art and Music Education

By Dennis Salts

Art and Music instruction are very important for all of our students.

Where I grew up in South Los Angeles, we had community singing for the whole school. Each grade level practiced certain songs within the classroom, and once a week, the entire student body would go out to the entire play yard, and each grade level would sing their specific songs. There were some songs, like "God bless America", that the entire study body sang. We also sang for PTA meetings and community events. In Junior High, each student was required to take art classes and a music class. I took Beginning Art and Chorus. In addition, I took Vocational Arts courses where my creativity could blossom by making projects from metal, wood, or plastic. Not being an actor or musician, I found myself enjoying being a lead person on the Stage and Sound Crew, which worked on all the theatre productions and school events, providing support in sound systems, running the projector in the auditorium, and setting up for assemblies. All of these activities enriched my life and challenged me to learn new things.

I feel that No Child Left Behind (NCLB) was a fine idea. It drew attention to schools and the need for us to improve. However, the emphasis on testing, testing, testing creates major distractions for teachers and students. There needs to be a balance, a common-sense approach to school administration and curriculum. Accountability is important, however, we must always keep in mind that the each students overall growth, development and success is based on a well-rounded experience in school. In my school district, Centralia SD, we have utilized our resources in very effective ways, and our test scores show it. We also have maintained Arts in our schools with after-school programs in instrumental and choral music and art.

It is my belief that the critical problem for all school districts in the State of CA is the erratic funding of our schools. Sacramento has certainly not been a good steward for our schools. School Boards and school administrators have an impossible job of trying to determine what funding we will actually receive from the state. That is the most critical element that has to change: the funding for schools should be consistent so that we who are charged with the job of providing the services for our students, have a basis to know how much money we will have. Currently, we are at the mercy of Sacramento and their ever-present threat of revisions and reductions.

I will continue to work with students, parents, teachers, PTA, PTSA, local business groups, service organizations, CSBA, etc., so that all of us can work together in promoting and delivering a quality education that includes art and music.