Today, we have a piece from Shannon Eubanks, principal at Enterprise Attendance Center in Brookhaven. It's an important look at what happens to arts education when funding falls short. Eubanks presents his perspectives as parent and principal, side by side, to make this strong case for increased arts funding.
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My oldest daughter doesn't dance. She doesn't play soccer or basketball or care in any way about sports.
But she loves art.
She loves to design and draw. She enjoys painting, sketching, and coloring. She likes to make bracelets and necklaces.
It doesn't matter if she's talented or not, it's her passion.
Fortunately, her parents are able to afford art lessons.
Because her school has no art.
She attends a small, rural school in Mississippi that has a small tax base. Therefore, her school barely has enough teachers to cover the necessities. Art, seemingly to our legislature, is not one. Because if it was important, it'd be funded.
They fund high-stakes tests. They fund vouchers. They fund charters. Why not fund art?
Why can't the children whose parents cannot afford private art lessons have art at school? Why
should it matter where a child attends school? Shouldn't he or she have the same rich curriculum?
Or is art only for kids at rich schools?
Now let me speak as a principal.
I believe in arts in education. My dream is to one day have visual and performance art at my school.
I would love to have a full time music teacher. A band director. A drama coach. A paint and sculpture teacher.
I actually have students who win in art competitions on the state and national level.
And I am ashamed.
Ashamed that these students had to do it on their own, without any help or instruction from their
school.
Ashamed that politicians force me to use more of my meager budget in areas that can demonstrate
higher test scores, instead of areas that nurture children.
Ashamed that as principal my daughters think I can do anything, but I am unable to even offer one
art class because my school can't afford it.
I was asked once by a reporter what would I do with another $250,000, about what my school would
receive if we got full funding from the legislature. More assistants? Newer technology? Upgraded
facilities?
Yes, yes, and yes.
But first, I'd hire an art teacher. And buy art supplies.
And watch students begin to love school again.
Especially one little girl who loves art more than anything in this world.
It's about priorities.
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What about you? What is your story? Are you a public school educator in Mississippi with a unique perspective you would like to share? How does funding affect your students and your goals to educate them? First year teachers and veterans, administrators and support staff, writers and non-writers, celebrities and anonymous submissions alike, fresh perspective is what we're looking for! Let us know if you'd like to impact Mississippi education!
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Disclaimer: The blog entries shared here are individual works that do not necessarily represent the ideas and opinions of the Show and Tell administrators.
