It's too bad that arts programs and early foreign language programs have to be pitted against each other. I wish that Guilford County were progressive enough to recognize the value of BOTH and could fund high-quality, more extensive art, music, and foreign language programs. The research is clear: ALL foster brain development. Additionally, given today's overemphasis on testing, well-planned arts and foreign language classes are a wonderful break from the drill-and-practice that many students experience.

We know that there is a window of opportunity for foreign language study that closes around age 12. Children who learn another language before that time experience brain development, have more native-like pronunciation, and develop greater proficiency in the language than those who begin later.

I cannot help but wonder what test scores would be like if all of our elementary children were able to have 25-30 minutes of focused foreign language instruction four to five times per week PLUS 25-30 minutes of art/music four to five times per week.

Suzan makes a great point. There is ample evidence that students trained in arts, music and foreign languages make gains in other areas. The data is however more compelling with respect to arts and music. Moreover strong arts and music programs are strongly associated with a lower drop-out rate among minority and underprivileged kids. Suzan corretly points out however, that all three are important parts of a child's eductation.

Suzan correctly points out that each of these subjects deserves equal attention. I must emphasize that art and music are separate subjects and each should be taught once each week in ALL our elementary schools.

What Suzan, Barbati, and Constance all fail to acknowledge is that to teach art & music takes away from other teaching. That "teaching" is the teaching to a test. If that is not done, the scores are not high enough to pass the appropriate State & Federal qualifiers. And if those are not passed at the appropriate level, then all of the teachers in the specific school do not receive the big bonuses; paid for doing what their salary is paid for in the first place.

You see, I am not against art or foreign language being taught. However, as it currently stands, there is not enough time in the school day or enough school days in the week for those to be taught. Thereby, they have to be discontinued so that test scores can be continually raised. What is so difficult in understanding that?

Shalom