kiotad Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 Okay. Upfront, know that I am a music educator/instrumental music director who also is a roving administrator substitute. Also understand that I know that 'No Child Left Behind' is a flawed experiment on a lot of levels. The misconception is that school districts can justify cutting the visual and performing arts by citing the increased ACADEMIC standards that they are being held to... the dirty little secret that the passionate, dedicated educators, booster groups and just plain p'd off folks know is this: if you read the No Child Left Behind Act, the arts are considered a CORE ACADEMIC SUBJECT. Don't believe me? Read it. That one piece of information has single-handedly saved the music/arts instruction in at least four school districts in Maryland and has also helped edcuators in my local district, Baltimore County, stand up to the bureaucrats, 'policy makers', etc. and preserve the arts. Sometimes you just have to call their bluff - and have a good, knowledgeable lawyer around - to make them back off. Granted it's not going to work everywhere, but you'd be amazed how much you can get by using the language in the No Child Left Behind Act as it was originally intended and not how its being spun by the administrators/bean counters in a lot of school systems g. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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