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What I Want to Know About My Topic

I want to learn the in depth reasons behind my issue. Should arts be kept in schools knowing how they benefit students? How expensive is running a fully functional art class? How many schools have lost this privelage and enriching experience? Why would the government want to remove these classes from our educational systems? What programs are in place to help keep the fine arts in school if not still in the community for children? How could the average citizen help keep the fine arts in their local schools? The way children grow up will change their futures; our future relies on the act of today.

Patrick Camera Club. Art Class at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. 1955. http://www.theglasgowstory.com/image.php?inum=TGSe01275.

What I Already Know About My Topic

The "No Child Left Behind Act" has caused school systems to base all funding into the "essential" education of English and Math. The cognitive skills, leadership, and synapses connecting the two hemispheres of the brain are not considered important to school boards. Students, particularly special needs students and emotionally traumatized students are given art therapy as a way to help develop a young mind in early and middle education and giving children an open outlet for creativity without being judged. Art therapy is even given to schizophrenic children and adolescents to help treat the condition; which could create essentially a cure for these children and their futures. The cognitive skills and this helps develop motor skills and fine control over their hands. Our abilities both mentally and physically are lessened, but there are after school programs and individual organizations that support the act of keeping art in schools for all education systems.

19 May 2010. <http://bankthewayyoulive.com/wp-content/uploads/ss-14068165-artSupplies.jpg>.

Story Behind My Topic

The education of art has been in schools as long as we can all remember. Painting each other's faces, getting messy with clay, masks made from newspaper, and drawing with color were all some of our assignments. My small cousins now do not have near the experience I have. Funds are being cut and programs I once had are no longer available to the younger generations. They have to bring their own art supplies to class and don’t get half of the fun activities I did. Students are losing the fine arts to the “essential” classes of English and Mathematics.  Within the next decade, these cognitive classes may be completely removed from our educational system; however there is hope. Programs have created after school programs and petitions to help the cause of freedom to express through art. These classes create friendly environments and have fun memories with paint and pencils. As an active painter and artist, art education holds importance to me. My art teacher, Mr. James Gorcesky, was always struggling to fund the projects we did in class. This shouldn’t be happening. In the words of Diego Rivera, “I’ve never believed in God, but I believe in Picasso.”

Grace. Vintage Art Supplies. 28 April 2009. <http://www.poetichome.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/vintage-art-supplies.jpg>.