Citing teacher shortages, budget constraints, and plummeting academic test scores, your school district has decided to cut the arts (creative, expressive, performing, visual, etc.)  from its program. This covers subjects such as music class, chorus, band, orchestra, art, performing arts, etc. The thought process behind this decision is that this will save money, reduce the need for staffing including finding substitutes for teachers who are out, and will allow more time for carrying out the educational curriculum in the classroom.

A special board of education meeting has been called to discuss this decision. You have decided to speak at this meeting to address your feelings on this decision. You may choose to speak from the standpoint of a teacher in the district or as a parent of an elementary-aged child in the district. In addition to your own personal opinions, you must also cite information from Thematic Strand #9: Global Connections (see the first link under articles and websites) to back up your argument for or against this decision. You are welcome and encouraged to use additional materials from the course or from resources you found on your own.