Seriously off-key

No less a person than Plato knew the importance of music to a good education. The founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world, had this to say about it:

“It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.”

Why then are so many Ontario schools, all these centuries later, short-changing elementary students by not teaching music, never mind visual arts and drama? It’s just plain off-key.

Asurvey of1,000 schools by the organization People for Education found that only 41 per cent of elementary schools have a full-time or part-time specialist music teacher this year.

That’s down from 58 per cent in 1998, and even that wasn’t good enough.

As Eastern Ontario music teacher Jim Palmer told the Star’s Andrea Gordon, without school music classes kids lose an opportunity they may not otherwise get to learn an instrument, create and perform with others and be exposed to creative and critical processes that are key to “21st century skills.”

Worse, the study found that only 15 per cent of schools with Grade 7 and Grade 8 students have a visual arts teacher. Just 8 per cent have a specialist drama teacher.

The excuse for schools not teaching important courses in music and other arts: a lack of space, instruments and art supplies.

This lack of classes in the arts is occurring even though the Ministry of Education acknowledges that the arts play a vital role in children’s creativity, academic achievement, leadership and problem-solving abilities.

Poorer kids are also being put at a disadvantage. Schools that are more successful at fundraising — i.e. those in richer neighbourhoods — are able to purchase instruments and supplies for their schools, as well as pay for students to see live performances and exhibits.

People for Education is rightly calling on the province to ensure that all students, regardless of where they live or their family’s income, receive arts instruction during school hours. It’s not only fair; it’s critical for their education.

The province should ensure all students receive arts education, regardless of where they live