As a high school art teacher at a Baltimore City Neighborhood school, unfortunately none of this is surprising. I am lucky enough to have an administration that at least supports students having art classes, but there is really no sequential program, and students are not able to 'elect' their electives, therefore students are placed into classes they do not want. In many Baltimore City high schools, there is not only a lack of supplies and support, we are given large groups of 30-40 students with no prior art experience or interest whatsoever. Then, once they've had 'Fundamentals of Art' to fulfill their graduation requirement, they have no more opportunities to take art again and strengthen their skill and passion.

All of this leads to many teachers in the city not being able to produce the 'quality of work' that art teachers in the county are producing. And, unfortunately, causes them to not enter student work into state wide contests and exhibitions for fear the work may not 'measure up', the work of students who have had art consistently, year after year.

As I said, I have been extremely lucky to have a principal that adores and supports the arts - but I know that most of my colleagues do not have this privilege, and are having to build a program using a pack of computer paper and colored pencils bought from the dollar store.

With every trip to City headquarters I am surprised to see the amount of student artwork on display and the lack of art education in schools.
There are so many oxymonoric things that go on in these schools that leaves me to question daily what our real purpose in this school system. Is it really to educate? Is this really the solution? But its back to my class of 36 I go

@ Belle - It was teachers that donated their time to help replace a bunch of 10 year old artwork that was up at North Ave last year. The art teachers in the city are a dedicated bunch that love our kids, and will take every opportunity we can to showcase them and their talents.

I also wonder about the 'nature' of what really is education. Is it teaching kids how to read? If so, that's not working much considering that most of my high schoolers can't read beyond a 4th or 5th grade level. Is it math? That's not faring to well either, considering that I have to take an entire class period to teach them how to use a ruler to measure a border.

Nixing everything else in favor of test-related subjects is hurting our kids. Research proves this - as does looking at the educational system of any other industrialized country on earth. I feel that most people would agree…but why is it still not happening?!

To Belle, You are so right! For example everytime AAA or his immediate subordinates venture out to a school there is a years(decade?) worth of work done? Walls are painted, floors are stripped and waxed for the first time all year, grounds are groomed by a huge crew, bathrooms are repaired and so on! Makes me sick but I have witnessed this process many times. But, we are all about great kids,right?

I don't think this should devolve into an arts vs. reading/math debate. We do our students a disservice in thinking that each of these subjects are separate entity. I think if schools put time into developing arts programs that were true and thoughtful extensions of content learning, our students' reading, math, and critical thinking skills would soar.

@ Whitney-I don't think anyone wants to devolve the conversation. Rather, many of us believe that is resources were properly used,important programs would thrive. For too long, there have been too staff positions that do not have DIRECT effects on children and way too much that is for looks only! (example-clean a building because AAA is coming but has not been cleaned all year!) Techers who directly work with kids need to get a voice. The result would be a real education across the content areas.