Arts Education Suffering in San Jose Schools
art programs, such as art appreciation, drama, theater and music, have been suffering across the nation for 30 years, as school officials concentrate on the basics of learning. With federal programs, such as No Child Left Behind, even more focus has been placed on basic learning skills, which excludes the arts. This also means that any extra funding is funneled into these basic learning programs in order to meet state and federal-set standards. Arts education is one of the standards that should be met by schools within the state of California, yet the state does not impose penalties on schools that do not met these particular standards.
A statewide survey by SRI International concluded that of the 1,123 schools surveyed:
• 89 percent failed to meet state standards for arts education;
• Nearly 1/3 offered no art education coursework that met state standards;
• 61 percent had no full-time arts specialist, with classroom teachers without adequate training teaching arts education at the elementary level;
• Kindergarten through 12 enrollment in music classes declined by 37 percent over a five-year period, ending last June; and
• Poor schools have the least access to arts education; whereas better income schools (where parents can afford private lessons) are more apt to have it.
Chris Funk is the San Jose schools’ principal of Lincoln High School, a stellar magnet arts school. He believes that the more San Jose schools’ students are exposed to the arts the better they will do in testing within other coursework.
Studies have proven that a strong arts program can be linked to improvement in everything from math skills to truancy. Arts education in elementary and secondary schools produce skilled sculptors, actors, musicians, singers and so many other arts-related careers. The arts also improve the socialization skills of students.
Bill Eriendson, assistant superintendent of the San Jose schools, stated that the level of funding for the arts is inadequate. Last year, the state budgeted $500 million for the arts and physical education; however, this amount was a one-time deal. The norm is $105 million, which is about $15 per student. According to Eriendson, the San Jose schools requires about $800,000 to restore just their music programs at the elementary San Jose schools. This figure does not include the purchase of instruments.
San Jose schools are a good representation of the statewide findings. Besides trying to meet state and federal standards in the basic coursework, the San Jose schools were hit with Proposition 13 that was passed in 1978, which imposed tax cuts for Californians and greatly reduced funding for arts education. The arts were first cut in the secondary San Jose schools and then in the elementary San Jose schools. By the late 1980s, arts education was all but gone in the San Jose schools.
According to Funk, there currently is a waiting list of 225 San Jose schools’ students. He finds San Jose schools’ students are drawn to the dance, theater, music and visual arts programs offered by his school. Without the support of the Lincoln Foundation, which donated $75,000 for this school year, this San Jose schools arts magnet would not exist.
Jason Thomas
http://www.articlesbase.com/k-12-education-articles/arts-education-suffering-in-san-jose-schools-118527.html
What do people think about this news article and illegals?
Swallowing a scorpion from Mexico: immigration invasion of US
http://www.examiner.com/x-3515-Denver-Political-Issues-Examiner~y2009m6d18-Swallowing-a-scorpion-from-Mexico-immigration-invasion-of-US
By Frosty Wooldridge
They come to do the work that American’s won’t do. They come for a better life. They come in droves. Over 100,000 monthly illegally and as many as 138,000 legally month in and month out without pause. They number in excess of 20 million. They come from an endless line out of the Third World that grows by 77 million annually. What most Americans don’t realize—they come to colonize and ultimately conquer our four Border States—but it doesn’t end there.
If any Americans speaks up to their illegal border hopping, they scream, "Racist!" That pejorative term lacks any merit against the U.S. Constitution.
One look at California illustrates a successful invasion in process. What are the signs? Last year, according to demographic experts, 800,000 American citizens fled California. Why? Los Angeles stands as a clone of Mexico City. Slums, trash, gangs, drugs, bankrupting hospitals, schools in chaos and about the only persons speaking English are Conan O’Brien and his guests on the Tonight Show. Over 12 million Mexicans transplanted themselves into the four Border States—and beyond—all the way to Maine, Iowa, Minnesota, Oregon, Georgia, North Carolina and Michigan.
They are not assimilating, not speaking English, not respecting our laws, paying taxes, driving with licenses, carrying insurance or investing as American citizens. That’s why California suffers $23 billion debt! That’s why your tax dollars pay out $346 billion annually for immigration across 15 federal agencies according to the imminent economist Edwin Rubenstein. (Source: http://www.thesocialcontract.com)
They lead ‘Reconquista of Aztlan.’ Mexico feels our four border states were stolen by the United States. They maintain a long-term plan for reconquering ‘their’ land. It’s called ‘El Plan de Aztlan.’ Read about it in: http://carbon.cudenver.edu/MEChA/plan-aztlan.html
They write, “In the spirit of a new people that is conscious not only of its proud historical heritage but also of the brutal "gringo" invasion of our territories, we, the Chicano inhabitants of the northern land of Aztlan from whence came our forefathers, reclaiming the land of their birth and consecrating the determination of our people of the sun– declare that the call of our blood is our power, our responsibility, and our inevitable destiny.”
Who are “they”? They prove militant, cunning and growing leaders infiltrating the upper ranks of the government in California. Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa supports all criminal aliens within his city. U.S. House Representative Joe Baca of California works for illegal aliens by hamstringing the U.S. Border Patrol, supporting the Dream Act, Special Order 40 and other aspects that assist La Raza. It stands for—“For the race, everything, for those outside the race, nothing.” Baca supports the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund and several others. Talk about racism! What do you think will happen when those wonderful folks gain power? If you swallow a scorpion, you will get stung to death from the inside.
Baca gave a speech, which borders on treason, “…it’s a great feeling, you know, La Raza, it’s about increasing our numbers because we’re in a civil war.” This is a man who swore to defend the U.S. Constitution but engages in another calling. He enjoys powerful backup in men like Art Torres, former California State Senator, Jose Gutierrez, Professor at the University of Texas, Mario Obledo founder of MALDEF and Armando Navarro, Professor of ethics at the University of California.
Their website continues its subversion of America, “We are free and sovereign to determine those tasks which are justly called for by our house, our land, the sweat of our brows, and by our hearts. Aztlan belongs to those who plant the seeds, water the fields, and gather the crops and not to the foreign Europeans. With our heart in our hands and our hands in the soil, we declare the independence of our mestizo nation. Before the world, before all of North America, before all our brothers in the bronze continent, we are a nation, we are a union of free pueblos, we are Aztlan.”
Americans must understand the growing fact that they mean business. You can see their numbers growing in your community. Your kids are suffering with their language chaos in your classrooms. They undermine and undercut America’s working class.
“We are committed to the idea and philosophy of El Plan de Aztlan, we can only conclude that social, economic, cultural, and political independence is the only road to total liberation from oppression, exploitation and racism. Our struggle then must
be for the control of our barrios, campos, pueblos, lands, our economy, our culture, and our political life. El Plan commits all levels of Chicano society – t
I agree with Frosty and all his articles. This is a man well informed of the problem with illegals, he has also written a great article on the diseases coming from the illegal population.
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Frosty is great. He tells it like it is. Everything he says in this article is 100% true.
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We all love cheap goods!
We posses plenty of land (we need cheap farm workers), we need cheap labor done (particularly mowing lawn, roofing, masonry, drywall, and stucco), we love good and cheap food (we employ illegals at meat processing plants and restaurants) we are made of immigrants, yet we let our racist nature get the worst of us. Nevertheless illegal immigrants at great fear work the jobs we refuse to work (I bet non of us wanna work any of the above jobs for $5 an hour) and we turn around look down at them and deny fair pay, drivers license and peace of mind. When are we going to realize that history repeats its self (1st were our great grandparents looking out for us and now are they), Society is being unfair everybody but the ones that touched their hearts anguishly follow the crowd. Later after the many struggle of these people, the many separated families, we are going to realize that we were wrong…. And we are going to want to bury our heads in the ground like ostriches to hide our shame.
The Congress must pass a comprehensive immigration reform this year. It is disgusting that in the XXI century America millions have absolutely no rights. They speak English, work hard, and most of them pay taxes. They are not all criminals, yes hardcore criminals must be removed from USA. Stop the hatred! I am ashamed to call myslef an American in such circumstances. Call your Senators, action is needed NOW. We must bring millions out of shadow and let them enjoy American life as we do. God bless President Obama and all others who will support and pray God for immigration reform… Yes We Can
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YES WE CAN, YES WE CAN, YES WE CAN!!!!
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YES WE CAN!!!!!! Immigration Reform All The Way!!!!
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