Making Room For Art

Art and education haven't quite gone hand-in-hand since practically ancient Greece. For as long as most of us can remember, it's been nothing but 'riting, reading, and 'rithmetic, and unfortunately that leaves our so-called "electives" at the bottom of the education food-chain. Remember this fun little TED time-spender?

It's no wonder we have kids doodling, snoring, and acting-out in class. This is nothing new.

Cartoonist John Callahan was often caught doodling in class.

Voice actor Tom Kenny (well-known for voicing everybody's favorite undersea sponge) was also known as the behind-the-scenes funny guy to his peers.

It was not uncommon for ventriloquist and comedian Jeff Dunham to spend his school-time entering talent shows. (Anybody want to guess what he did? Or maybe just how I know this).

I'm sure there's plenty more where those guys came from. The sad part of it is, they're multiplying. And no matter what the good intentions, education systems have a habit of making things worse. Or at least masking the real problem.

The other day I got the chance to catch up with my middle school art teacher. The school recently had a big, beautiful renovation done - new buildings, new classrooms, even a fancy digital marquee. Not even the local high school has a digital marquee. And yet, in these tough times, teachers are being laid-off. The dusty, ill-producing curriculum - with barely an art and music program to show for it - stays the same.

But that's all okay because they have a brand-spanking new art room to show for it. A nice, big art room that is used maybe once a day, to do the same things the class has done since I went to school there.

How's that for making room for art?

Photo belongs to urbanwoodswalker