Steve M Nelson wrote: > Art is all around is in most daily activities. To pretend that we can > separate it from math and reading and have a complete education or that > including it somehow detracts from math and literacy sounds like someone > with an agenda to cut programs for some reason other than not raising the > taxes to fully fund a good education.
Dorie Rae Gallagher wrote: That is exactly what is happening. People are being given the choice at the neighborhood school forums to choose between math/ science or art / music. What use to be hand and glove is now one and none. The more our world leans towards high tech, the more partcipants step back into the arts. It is a balance that is needed for mankinds existence. I know some feel one can live by science /math alone but that world would be a void without creative beauty. Mark Anderson replies: We seem to be mostly going around in circles. I've been trying to find out from the "arts in education" advocates why it is so important to teach the arts. The discussion is not about banning the arts in Minneapolis, or even in the schools. The discussion is about the need for TEACHING the arts. The arts will always exist whether we teach them or not. Someone or other said that all the science professionals he knew played an instrument or was in a band or something. Is he saying one needs to play music to be a good scientist? I would bet literacy and arithmetic IS necessary to be a good scientist. I can point to some rather horrid results for students who are not taught reading or arithmetic. Can anyone point to equivalent horrors for students not taught techniques of art or music? So the question I would like answered is "WHY is teaching of the arts necessary for a complete education?" And please don't explain the necessity of the arts in society; I'd like to know why they need to be TAUGHT in our public schools. Mark V Anderson Bancroft REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
