English Paper

Chaz Epps 10/25/09 Ms. Cameron English 101 “Keeping Music in school”

I believe that music programs should be kept in schools. More and more schools are losing their music programs because of money issues. I feel that its wrong when there’s a money issue and the school board always cut the music programs. I think music should be a core class because of the certain things we have to do with our brain. “Today, over 45% of the total U.S. educational population, elementary to college, participates in music ensembles throughout their community”(Aaron). We have to be able to count in different times, stay in tune with everyone else, play the right notes, and be able to know what the melody is in a song. Also we have to be able to read music and play it correctly while doing all of these things. We are using our brains much more in music than in any other class. There is no ending to what you could learn in music because when you think you know it all there is always going to be someone that knows more. If school boards keep cutting music programs then there wont be any more musicians in the world after the ones we have now are gone. Research shows that music education at an early age is strongly associated with the likelihood that a child will graduate from high school, seek higher education and ultimately earn a higher salary (MENC).

This could make the school look good by having their music students go off to college for music and do really well with getting a good job such as being a music teacher. An Interactive Poll report found that 83 percent of people whose income is higher than $150,000 participated in music education (MENC). These two facts speak for themselves. They’re kids graduating from high school and getting paid a very high salary because of being in a music program at their schools. Schools in Western Massachusetts will be having their music programs cut this year because of budget cuts. All of these programs are being cut one after another: Palmer's Converse Middle School band may not exist next year, there will be no formal art class for young children in Gateway Regional School District and music classes will be halved in Amherst (Shepard). “Recently over $1.2 billion nationwide was pulled from public school music programs in the past academic year” (Aaron). This is ridiculous that these music programs are being taken away because the kids are being affected. We have the research to say students in music programs have higher SAT scores. The College Board (2006) reports that SAT takers with coursework in music performance scored 57 points higher on the verbal portion and 43 points higher on the math portion (MENC). “Children exposed to a multi-year program of music tuition involving training in increasingly complex rhythmic, tonal, and practical skills display superior cognitive performance in reading skills compared with their non-musically trained peers, according to a study published in the journal Psychology of Music”(ScienceDaily). Both of these statements should tell everyone that says music doesn’t help with other classes here is the proof that it does. So there should be no reason why they’re being cut out of schools. There are people in the government that you would

have never thought was in a music program at their school. “Without music, I would not be where I am today,” said Congressman Joe Crowley, D-New York, 7th District (MENC). He’s saying that music got him where he is today. Music helps people in so many ways. If you were to ask someone how music in their schools changed their lives, I’m sure they could give you a pretty good reason such as listening to different cultures music not just ours and not being simple minded thinking we have the best music. Music plays a crucial role in everyone’s life. I feel that the school board needs to take action in this and figure out alternatives that just cut a program because of money issues. Music programs teach kids how to work as a team and know that they can’t do everything by themselves. Its helps them make friends if they can’t make friends outside of the band room. Most music kids best friends are in band also. It helps with kids that are shy by making them go outside of their comfort zone and talk things out class. Playing music you can express emotion through instrument. Most band students aren’t violent people because they calm themselves down by playing their instrument. Music helps with core classes, helping kids make friends, and most of all become better people.

"The National Association for Music Education." Music education week in washington. 18 Jun 2009. 19 Oct 2009 .

Shepard, Dwight. "Fine arts programs being cut at schools across Western Mass.." Massachusetts local news. 1 Aug 2009. 19 Oct 2009 .

Aaron. "Importance of music education in schools." Thinkers network. 05 April 2002. 27 Oct 2009 .

"Music Education Can Help Children Improve Reading Skills." ScienceDaily 16 March 2009. 27 October 2009 .