I'd like to inform you about a lot of budget cuts happening every day in our public school systems. One of the hardest hit is in our arts and music departments. The battle over NEA funding and other important foundations that are set up to benefit our youths is being challenged by the government at an alarming rate. Cutbacks in our school's budget force students in these departments to go without the necessary supplies that are essential in the learning process. I'd also like to show you why art and music education is essential to our children's learning process, how it allows them to grow up to be well-rounded citizens, and why as a country, we need to fight to save these programs.
             It seems to be a continuous battle for art and music education demands some respect. Many legislators feel the problem in our schools is that budgets were not amended to fit the rise of costs in our economy. And because of this there simply aren't simple ways to fund these programs. Another reason for problems in the arts and music departments budget is that even though there is inadequate funding schools pass programs without the promise of long-term support. Thus, creating a cycle of budget problems. This is our problem.
             One particular agency, out of many, the NEA is facing problems that are similar to most in the art and music debates. "The conservatives are pressing the case that, in the time of tight federal budgets, taxpayers cannot afford funding for the agency, which received a $99 million appropriation for fiscal 1997. The critics also argue that the agency continues to fund pornographic and blasphemous projects.(Freedman,p.624)" As stated by Allan Freedman of Government and Commerce magazine, sums up the views some government officials are having concerning the NEA, an organization set up to benefit those in the art community. This organization is a powerful factor in terms of art education. The organization looks at all different ty...