Assignment 16- James Gooding

          Our recently elected state legislator has made it very clear that he does not give a (possible bad word) about people like me. In January of this year, Matt Bevin’s state budget revealed that he planned on implementing a variety of changes, including the cut of the Kentucky Arts Council, which funds programs like CKYO and the UK opera theatre (Artscouncil). In addition, he planned on cutting 17.8 million dollars from colleges and public schools, causing them to cut “unimportant” music programs. His actions have left people like me not only furious, but terrified of what is to come of his reign of terror. Our funded music education has major benefits to society and students that cannot be replaced if their funding has been cut.       

          Neuroscientists show that music has certain positive effects on the brain, including increased dopamine and widespread stimulation of the brain (Huffington Post). This sounds like a bunch of science-ey crap to you, but I see this implemented in all the kids with headphones in when doing their classwork. I see a student body that has discovered that music gets their brain going when doing APUSH key terms, Physics Web homework, or writing the speeches being given today. Bevin is creating an education where providing people with this tool is seen as an unnecessary waste of time and money. Now your argument might be that “so and so pop singer never participated in a school music program”. That may be correct, but their sound engineers did. Their backing musicians did. Jim Riley, best known for his gig in Rascal Flatts, has been voted the best drummer in country music by Moderndrummer magazine numerous times. Even though he plays really bad music, he gets paid big bucks to record tracks for a plethora of famous country artists. Jim credits his success to his involvement in high school band, and his music ed degree at the University of North Texas (Jimrileymusic). Take this foundation away, and you take away the backbone of the artists on your phones right now.

          Music also provides for those in the program. The average student in a music program scores 107 points higher on the SAT than one who does not participate. Music students report the lowest lifetime and current use of drugs. On top of it all, music students have demonstrated a high level of skill in world languages, reading, and mathematics. (Music for All) Based on these facts, music seems like a sweet deal for those looking for adolescent success. But the benefits aren’t just academic.
          I know firsthand how music can change someone’s life, because it happened to me. Growing up, I never felt like much of a social person. At any given time I generally had about two friends who I never really hung out with. As a kid, music felt like the friend that I never had. Once I got older, I found people who shared my love of music through music education, and those I consider my closest friends are the ones I play music with. Playing music is an escape for me, and it gives me the ability to say what I want to say when I can’t find the words to do it. I can tell you right now that I don’t know where my life would be if I didn’t have the opportunities I did growing up. A close friend of mine who is a part of Bryan Station’s StationARTS program speaks often of its failures. He says, and I quote, “It irritates me that a program that has a rather large base of very talented students receives such little funding, and that it offers no benefit to its members.” For my friend, he unfortunately already experiences the low budget that our governor could be bringing.  

          So, this is where a person like me gets furious. The fact that such a great opportunity is given to kids, and is constantly considered being taken away. The fact that our legislators somehow cannot see that teaching kids music is benefitting both our students and the society they are soon going to be a part of. Music should not be cut from our schools, because it would cut thousands of kids’ ways of life.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/02/music-and-health-rock-on_n_6573132.html

http://www.musicforall.org/who-we-are/advocacy/quick-facts

http://artscouncil.ky.gov/KAC/ShowcasingArts.htm

http://jimrileymusic.com/biography