Fine Arts for Fine Scores

In California today, there are numerous budget cuts on school funds. Many of the budget cuts are threats to the extracurricular classes, and more specifically the fine arts. In an interview with Ms. Fisher, a band director at Pomona High School, she responded to why the fine arts are important in a student's education: "The students receives a well rounded education. They have the opportunity to learn the skills they don't normally in their regular core classses."

Ms. Fisher also suggested: "There should be more preperation in the middle school level, maybe even the elementary level." Staff members mention to students on various occasions the importance of scoring well on state tests in order for the school to provide us with a variety of extracurricular classes. This is quite a strange situation; the school must take away these kinds of classes if students are not achieving standards of education. Some of these classes which are cut from school funding assist learning for many students, but the only way they well receive the extracurricular classes is to score better on the state tests.

Many students would be less motivated to do well in their classes or even worse continue on with their education if these classes were cut. We all remember the rumors of Pomona High School turning in the a charter school. In many of my classes I remember having conversations about how many of us were not fond of the idea. I also heard from those who were hardly interested in being outstanding students, but get by in their classes for sports. Many of the comments from them included their discontent with the lack of sports if were to become a charter school and they mentioned how they would not want to attend the school if it were this were to occur. The extracurricular activities regenerate a student's interest in learning, and when they are interested they attend class. Results from 2005 College Board report show the arts have a great impact in students' test scores in test such as the SAT. These classes work as a stimulus for the student to continue their education, which will lead to to the lowering in dropout rates.

Exposing students to the fine arts is one of the many ways to stir up and broaden their ways of thinking. So why is such a great asset to our education being taken from us while it has dong nothing but enrich our experience throughout our years of schooling? This sutuation can be compared to a chicken and an egg; you can't have one without the other, and it is hard to tell which should come first. Schools are limiting the fine arts or not providing them at all for the students to concetrate in core classes. The only way to get these classes back is to score better on the state testing, but the fine arts have the ability to help students score higher.