[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 110 (Monday, July 26, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H6011-H6013]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUPPORTING ARTS IN EDUCATION WEEK
Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 275) expressing support for
designation of the week beginning on the second Sunday of September as
Arts in Education Week, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:
H. Con. Res. 275
Whereas arts education, comprising a rich array of
disciplines including dance, music, theatre, media arts,
literature, design, and visual arts, is a core academic
subject and an essential element of a complete and balanced
education for all students;
Whereas according to Albert Einstein, ``After a certain
high level of technical skill is achieved, science and art
tend to coalesce in esthetics, plasticity, and form. The
greatest scientists are artists as well.'';
Whereas arts education enables students to develop critical
thinking and problem solving skills, imagination and
creativity, discipline, alternative ways to communicate and
express ideas, and cross-cultural understanding, which
supports academic success across the curriculum as well as
personal growth outside the classroom;
Whereas the nonprofit arts sector contributes to the
economy and plays an important role in the economic health of
communities large and small with direct expenditures of wages
and benefits as well as goods and services;
Whereas to succeed in today's economy, students must
masterfully use words, images, sounds, and movement to
communicate;
Whereas as the Nation works to strengthen its foothold in
the 21st century global economy, the arts equip students with
a creative, competitive edge;
Whereas where schools and communities are delivering high-
quality learning opportunities in, through, and about the
arts for children, extraordinary results occur;
Whereas studies have shown that schools with large
populations of students in poverty can be transformed into
vibrant hubs of learning through arts education;
Whereas studies have also found that eighth graders from
underresourced environments who are highly involved in the
arts have better grades, less likelihood of dropping out by
grade ten, have more positive attitudes about school, and are
more likely to go onto college;
Whereas attracting and retaining the best teachers is vital
and can be achieved by ensuring that schools embrace the
arts, becoming havens for creativity and innovation;
Whereas arts education has the power to make students want
to learn not just within the arts, but other areas of study;
Whereas art is integral to the lives of many United States
citizens and can improve the vitality of communities and the
Nation; and
Whereas the week beginning on the second Sunday of
September would be an appropriate week to designate as Arts
in Education Week: Now, therefore, be it
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Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That Congress--
(1) supports the designation of Arts in Education Week;
(2) calls on governors, mayors, and other elected officials
from across the United States to issue proclamations to raise
awareness of the value and importance of arts in education;
and
(3) encourages the President to issue a proclamation
encouraging the people of the United States to observe such
week with appropriate activities.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Colorado (Mr. Polis) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Colorado.
General Leave
Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which
Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on House
Concurrent Resolution 275 into the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Colorado?
There was no objection.
Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution
275, which expresses support for designating the week beginning on the
second Sunday of September as Arts in Education Week.
The arts serve a critical role in the advancement of our students'
education, creativity, and intellectual development. A well-rounded
education that includes arts education is extremely important in our
schools and communities, helping students think creatively and
critically. When students leave the classroom, they use their
understanding of dance, music, theater, literature, design, and visual
arts to communicate in new ways, to build intellectual capital, to
express themselves within and across cultures and mediums. The arts
also add a new dimension of thinking to social and hard scientists, in
keeping with Albert Einstein's assertion that ``the greatest scientists
are artists as well.''
Arts education has a positive effect on students' academic careers.
Many studies have shown that students participating in visual and
performing arts had better grades and a lower likelihood of dropping
out. Students who participate in arts programs are at least three times
more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, elected to class
office within their schools, participate in a math and science fair,
win an award for school attendance, or win an award for writing an
essay or a poem. These students also maintain more positive attitudes
about school and are more likely to go on to college. And yet, despite
the proven benefits of arts education, the 2008 National Assessment of
Educational Progress, the NAEP result, found that only 58 percent of
eighth-graders attended schools where music instruction was offered at
least three times a week, and only 47 percent attended schools where
visual arts were offered more than three times a week.
Arts in Education Week helps us highlight the importance of giving
our students expanded opportunities to participate in the visual and
performing arts in school. I took advantage of those opportunities
growing up myself, participating in several school plays, and
throughout lower school, in elementary school, in a music program. I
know that I take many of those lessons today that have helped make me a
better rounded person and a more effective representative in Congress
for the people of Colorado.
{time} 1610
I strongly encourage my colleagues to join Representative Speier, the
sponsor of this bill, in supporting Arts in Education Week.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PETRI. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 275,
expressing support for designation of the week beginning on the second
Sunday of September as Arts in Education Week.
Arts in Education Week highlights the benefits of exposing students
to the arts, and it recognizes that arts can play a role in educating
youth. Many localities have rich art communities. Exposing youth to the
museums, artists, and workers of art within these communities can help
to provide cultural experiences, foster creativity, and support
classroom learning about the arts.
Many States and communities are taking efforts to ensure students are
exposed to the arts. Most States, specifically 43 States, require
schools to provide art instruction, and many schools have integrated
art education into their other areas of study. Many instructors in
schools take advantage of the local art industry by introducing
students to the various points of access to the arts within their
communities.
Parents play a vital role in exposing youth to the arts as well.
Weekend trips to a local art museum or a night out to see a local play
are just two examples of ways in which parents can educate their
children about and ensure their children's participation in the arts.
I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of
my time.
Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, it is my honor to yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).
Mr. PASCRELL. Madam Speaker, as the gentlewoman from California is
not here yet, who is the primary sponsor of this legislation, I rise in
support of House Concurrent Resolution 275.
I want to commend both Mr. Polis and Mr. Petri for their very
succinct words.
I know firsthand the benefits that our children receive from a robust
arts education program, whether it is music, theater, visual arts,
photography, poetry, or dance. This is not simply an outlet. This is
part and parcel of the essential features of what a good education is
all about. Unfortunately, the current state of the economy has now put
these classes and the further enrichment of our students at risk, and I
would ask us to address this issue.
What is the first to be cut? Go right across the Nation. Arts,
libraries and sports--the things our kids love best. Arts are not just
sought to get away from things. Arts are part of their lives. They
enrich them. They contribute to one's total being when one has an
appreciation of the arts.
I taught an arts course, History through the Arts. They were mostly
students who could care less about American history; so I had to find a
way to get to them. I taught the course by going through all of those
fine arts I just talked about. I asked them to learn about our Nation
through different periods of time through the artwork, the poetry and
the music of that individual time, not unlike what we would do when
studying the Renaissance.
This is particularly evident in New Jersey. The city of my district,
West Orange, has announced its intentions to cut its music and arts
departments in addition to laying off almost 90 staff members in order
to reduce its budget. It is forced to do that. Yet we take no action.
Last year, in the stimulus package, we saved a lot of jobs, necessary
jobs. This year, we are reluctant to do that. We are frightened. The
word ``deficit'' is in all capital letters. Yet for 8 years we saw this
accumulate and accumulate and said nothing.
In my town of Paterson, where I grew up and still live, 50 music
teachers and 38 art teachers got their pink slips. John F. Kennedy High
School in Paterson performed just its second spring musical in 30 years
in April. Talk about austerity. Due to the cuts, it could be another 30
years. I'm not exaggerating. These are the numbers. You can't make this
stuff up.
Before this crisis a 2007 study found out more than 75,000 students
in New Jersey have been attending school every day with no arts
education. If we want to encourage arts in education, then we can't
talk out of both sides of our mouths. So it is nice to recognize the
arts in a week, a month, a year. That's fine. That's great. If we were
to fire all the arts teachers, what would that be like?
It looks like the Senate has decided to strip the $10 billion that
this House voted for to keep our teachers in their classrooms. I don't
know what is happening at the other end of the building. By failing to
provide our children with
[[Page H6013]]
opportunities to supplement their classes, we are robbing them of a
complete education. We must consider the arts, which enrich our lives,
the lives of our youth, which spark a life-long love and passion for
creativity, not as a secondary priority in our educational system but
as an essential pillar of its foundation.
So I urge the support of H. Con. Res. 275, which expresses the
support for the designation of this week beginning on the second Sunday
of September, and I urge the Senate to keep up with the House on some
issues at least.
Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, once again, I want to thank Representative
Speier of California for introducing this concurrent resolution, and I,
once again, express my strong support for designating the week
beginning on the second Sunday of September as Arts in Education Week.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution of arts
in education.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 275, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution, as amended, was
agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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