Well President Bush has made another awesome move when it comes to education. In the most recent 2009 budget requests Bush has pretty much destroyed any progress that has been made in getting more funding for the arts. The appropriations process basically puts forward a certain amount of money that will go to each of these programs that deal with the arts; National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, the office of Museum Services, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and the Department of Education’s Arts in Education programs.
To begin with, he cut $16.3 million that he cut from the NEA. The congress originally budgeted $144.7 million for this program. This was “the largest congressionally initiated funding increase for the arts in 28 years”(Shinn). If congress apparently thinks that this is a worthy cause to spend money on then why is it that our President can not see this? I suppose that he thought that it just wasn’t a war worth fighting for.
He also seems to not care about giving the youth of America a well rounded cultural background and would rather spend money killing the youth of another country. I may not have a completely clear understanding about how money gets distributed but I do know that he has no intention in funding education, specifically art education, even the slightest. This is obvious because of his move for funding, or lack there of, for the Department of Education’s Arts in Education programs.
“Perhaps worst of all, Bush asks nothing — not one thin dime — for the U.S. Department of Education’s Arts in Education program in the 2009 budget, compared with the $35.3 million enacted appropriations in the 2008 budget” (Shinn).
Now not only do I see this as a problem for art education, obviously, but education in general. I really feel, as I have said in past posts, that the problem is just starting with art. Soon enough schools could be losing funding from all other subject areas. Core subject areas could be decreased from math science and English down to just math and science.
I don’t see how someone having no background in art education or working in the education field can decide how much money is appropriate, possibly why it’s called the appropriations process, for these programs. You would think that consulting schools and administration about how much money is necessary to keep programs that create well rounded individuals. But, obviously what educations professionals or even the congress has to say about funding for the arts has no significance.
But, budget is not yet finalized. There is still time to write your state senator and house representative and rant about how outrageous this is. You can do this here. There is also an Art Advocacy Day. This is March 31 and April 1. This will be held in Washington D.C.
Bush’s proposed arts cuts bring outcry
By Dorothy Shinn
07 Feb 2008
2 Comments
Comments feed for this article
April 13th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
I won’t say that I’m a big fan of G.W., nor do I understand most of his policy choices. When I read this blog and the article I was really shocked. Bush, either really doesn’t care about the American middle class children, or there’s something he’s not telling the American public.
Music and Art programs are a much needed outlet for growing children. It enhances creativity, allows for expression of emotion, and let’s face it, it’s down right fun. It’s pretty sad that organizations have to sap money from Middle American families during fundraisers to save programs they should be allowed to have in the first place.
Math and Science are being focused on because less and less of America’s youth are seeking professions in those fields. This means outsourcing for help in these fields. Yes, America wants to have the biggest and the brightest. Case in point would be what happened with German Scientists during World War II. America granted citizenship to scientists and their families just to stay on top. We have tried to do the same with India, by baiting the brightest to shine on our soil. As technology is advancing, these same people are deciding to stay on their home turf and work from familiar surroundings.
The world is full of people who make choices they think are for the best. Usually, the modus operandi is money, power, or fame. Every once in a while a choice is made and it makes people happy to be a part of it… G.W.’s decision is obviously not one of those.
I just thought of something, but I’m not sure about the truth of it. The sale of oil or petroleum based paints should make our leader happy, but then again he gets more from our need to survey a canvas in our cars than from a few kids squiggling lines on a piece of paper.
April 13th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
[...] Megan [...]