Music in the Schools

Life is getting hard, schools are buckling down they are pushing for more advanced learning and no child left behind...

But what gets lost in the process, always music and art. Now some consider this frivolous spending, they feel the money should be used elsewhere but somewhere along the line we seem to have forgotten a few things.

First off quality of life, education is important we need to be able process all of the information that comes with the lives we are living. BUT music plays such an integral part of our lives... it portrays the fabric of our lives creates a background of who and what we are... how many of us remember a certain song fondly, thinking of what we were doing when we first heard it? or we use music to explain an emotion or thought.

Secondly, children who learn music learn other things better. I have a son who refused to believe he could master fractions.. when one day I looked at Him and said, hon you read music what exactly do you think that is? From that day on he believed in himself... of course it is proven that it helps children to focus, they are more disciplined and in general just do better in school. So with that thought why don't we teach more music instead of less.

Thirdly, while we don't admit it we value our musicians we respect them, where do you think many of them learned their first instrument?

I have four fabulous children all of whom play at least one instrument 3 of them multiple ones. My oldest plays, alto sax, bari sax, tuba, trombone, bass trombone, electric guitar, acoustical guitar, bass guitar and several other instruments at random.. but the ones listed are the ones he has if not mastered, excelled at. My second son plays the trombone and has a fabulous tenor voice, my oldest daughter plays the alto sax, bari sax and is begging to play percussion. and the youngest.. well she plays, trumpet, tuba, trombone and has a fabulous contralto voice... I know without a fabulous music program in the schools my children would have been missing an important part of their lives... I do not have the talent to teach them something like this.

I just feel we need to rally around our music programs, take pride in them, during the school year check it out, see when the local high school is having a concert, go see them. If you have small children, take them.. let them see what they can do. What is out there for them, there is more to life than sports...

Oh for the record my children are all also competitive swimmers.. so they did not lack in athletics.. and all have the brains to excel in school...whether or not they choose to is another matter.

my point... support your local school band..