The public education system in the United States obviously has some faults that responsible citizens and legislators need to address immediately. A science-based curriculum is essential for American students to compete with graduates around the world. We cannot forget, however, that the arts hold a special place in education. We should, therefore, make art a priority in public schools instead of cutting funds for these programs.

Art is about more than just understanding culture (although that is in itself a just reason to support art education), it is also about learning how to think critically and explore new ideas. These are skills that have relevance to all areas of study. Without art, our students will only receive surface educations. They will be like computers with massive amounts of information but no way to make any sense of what they know.

Dear Educators,

This petition goes out to educators throughout the United States. Americans have seen the negative effects of a failing educational system. It’s not a secret that American students consistently fail to score as highly as students in other developed nations. Some schools have responded to this threat by cutting funding for the arts and focusing, instead, of science. Although science has many wonderful disciplines for students to study, we cannot forget the importance that art education plays in a person’s life.

Students who never receive an education in the arts might never learn to fully appreciate culture. This has a damaging impact on the way that they enjoy their lives. This should concern educators.

Schools should also consider what students learn when they only receive a scientific education. Without the arts, they do not learn how to evaluate new concepts, think critically and creatively, or to question what they have learned. Without the arts, students are little more than computers that contain massive amounts of information yet have no idea of what to do with the data, let alone how to make ethical choices about the technologies that they encounter in life.

Make art a priority in schools to provide a more well rounded education that will help the U.S. compete with other countries.

Thank you,

Parents, Students, and Educators of the U.S.