[Dixielandjazz] The Lack of Music Programs in the Schools.

Tue Oct 2 10:02:27 PDT 2007

 Scott --- the
> wholesale drive to eliminate federal support for and effectively defund 
> arts programs in public schools in the 1980s by the "you-know-who" 
> administration, followed by the no-child-left-standing legislation has 
> left us with this sorry state of affairs.
__________________________________________________
I think the problem gained momentum with a very few extremely controversial 
works of art that were to many disgusting to say the least.  The "values" 
people went on a crusade with thousands of school boards being taken over so 
that control over education and the fostering of "values" whatever they are, 
could be exerted.  While the arts have always been a target of the bean 
counters the pace has quickened.  Those same people are also anti tax and 
their politicians favorite line is "no more taxes" and hurl the "tax and 
spend" line around as a tag line.  These same people hate Public 
Broadcasting too.

So what we have is control at the local level, an anti arts bias coupled 
with a tax phobia.  It's not surprising that the arts are taking it in the 
neck.

The only school music programs that seem to do real well are coupled with 
football games.

I suppose that I wouldn't mind so much if the sports programs were turning 
out fine Americans with values but it seems that every week in the national 
news some sports person or former sports person has done something really 
bad like drugs, armed robbery and murder.  OOPS the glove didn't fit.

I think you could demonstrate that those programs have not worked, have 
never worked and can never do what they are supposed to do and that is teach 
values of sportsmanship, healthy and clean living.  What they do however is 
make a lot of money for the schools. They are a cash cow that virtually 
every school district milks.  The wonder to me is that there are any schools 
at all that do not require the band to do football and basketball games and 
that actually emphasize the music program.

Music education is an important as a business classes too.  Any student that 
can stand up and play a solo will usually be able to public speak and 
understands the relationship between hard work and preparation for success. 
Music prepares kids to be able to present themselves in a favorable way 
which is important to get jobs and be successful.  My grand nephew is in a 
band that is going to attend band camp and take a trip to one of the bowl 
games.  Each kid needs about a thousand dollars to do the trip.  That kid 
worked for me and others all summer to earn the money so he can go.  I think 
that's pretty admirable  and is teaching that kid a lot about hard work and 
success along the way.  These I think are the true "values" that we should 
be teaching.

I see no help for the situation except that we try to educate the public as 
much as possible.  Unfortunately the tax paying public and the bean counters 
don't want to understand the benefits of music education.
Larry
StL
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Scott Anthony" <santh at pacbell.net>
To: "Larry Walton" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Monday, October 01, 2007 6:49 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] The Lack of Music Programs in the Schools.

>I know we're not supposed to talk politics here, but it seems to me that 
>the wholesale drive to eliminate federal support for and effectively defund 
>arts programs in public schools in the 1980s by the "you-know-who" 
>administration, followed by the no-child-left-standing legislation has left 
>us with this sorry state of affairs. When I was in public school in the 50s 
>and 60s my town had the absolute best vocal and instrumental music program 
>in the state of New Jersey. Now it has practically nothing.
>
> Scott Anthony
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Steve Barbone" <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
> To: <santh at pacbell.net>
> Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Sent: Monday, October 01, 2007 1:17 PM
> Subject: [Dixielandjazz] The Lack of Music Programs in the Schools.
>
>
>> Following is excerpted from the 2007 Commencement address at Stanford
>> University, given by Dana Gioia, the Chairman of the NEA. (National
>> Endowment for the Arts). Interesting viewpoint which many of us have
>> rejected over the past several decades. Others among us have become
>> pro-active and maybe they will make a difference.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Steve Barbone
>>
>> "I remember a time when every public high school in this country had a
>> musical program . . . usually a jazz band too. . . These p[rograms are no
>> longer widely available to the new generation. This once visionary and
>> democratic system has been almost entirely dismantled by well-meaning but
>> myopic school boards, county and state officials, with the Federal
>> Government largely indifferent to the issue. 50 million students have 
>> paid
>> the price. . ."
>>
>> "Why have we experienced this colossal cultural and political decline? 
>> There
>> are several reasons, but I must risk offending many friends and 
>> colleagues
>> by saying that surely artists and intellectuals are partly to blame. Most 
>> .
>> . . have lost their ability to converse with the rest of society. We have
>> become wonderfully expert in talking to one another, but have become 
>> almost
>> invisible and inaudible in the general culture. . . If we could reopen 
>> the
>> conversation . . ., the results would not only transform society but also
>> artistic and intellectual life."
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
>
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