BATs Pledge to Preserve the Arts in Our Schools

 

BATs will be 2 years old on Sunday, June 14^th.  Over the 2 years of BAT existence we have seen the Arts slashed and cut. 

1. Atlanta School District cut 18 Music/Orchestra positions  http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local-education/atlanta-schools-cut-music-teachers/nmRGP/

2.  Funds have been cut in more than 80 percent of U.S. school districts since 2008  http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2014/04/28/music-art-and-language-programs-in-schools-have-long-lasting-benefits

3.  Detroit's Renaissance High School may lose music program http://archive.freep.com/article/20140821/NEWS01/308210056/Renaissance-High-School-teacher-cuts

 We could put hundreds of articles here to show how the arts have been slashed and cut.  As educators we know that the arts are needed in our schools.   The arts allow students to explore their natural passion and creativity.  The arts give students an outlet to express their vision of the world and provide, for many, a place in which they can shine.

Research shows that children who are exposed early to music have a boost in their brain development   https://www.mcgill.ca/channels-contribute/channels/news/early-music-lessons-boost-brain-development-224936

Neuroscience research is revealing the impressive impact of arts instruction on students' cognitive, social and emotional development  http://www.aasa.org/SchoolAdministratorArticle.aspx?id=7378

Our very own BAT Dr. Yohuru Williams wrote an amazing piece in September of 2014 in which he said,

“The intangible benefits of public education will never appear in the sterile strips of data represented by tests scores. The high school band members who play in churches, parks, parades and festivals, the young thespians and dancers who share their talents in shows, and the artists who paint murals on the sides of buildings bring a splash of life and color to an otherwise desolate urban landscape -- they put the public into public education.”   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/yohuru-williams/rhythm-and-bruise-how-cut_b_5838406.html

 BATs we must all commit to fighting for and preserving the arts in our districts.   We must show our local, state, and federal lawmakers that funding our schools means that all children get rich programs that help them grow and that make school a fun place to be.  

We are asking all BATs to please sign onto the BAT Pledge to Preserve the Arts in Our Schools!