The Big Issue With School Funding

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The Big Issue With School Funding The fine arts were once highly revered by the community and were a part of everyday life, yet today the fine arts must face their biggest competitor, that being sports. Sports have become a big business and many schools find it easier and better to cut arts programs due to low funding rather than athletic programs. Even though fine arts programs are not as profitable as athletic programs, they should be funded equally to athletic programs because they help student achievement, help students improve their cognitive skills, and encourage creativity. Within a community is a sense of unity, which for many is brought together by the young athletes of the community. In his article “High School Sports Have Turned Into Big Business,” Mark Koba of CNBC highlights that within the last thirty to forty years high school football has escalated into a highly revered tradition in which not only communities, but highly successful corporations have begun to dedicate millions of dollars towards (Koba n. pg.). This highlights the status of sports within the community and may explain part of the reason schools would favor sports over other programs. Because sports programs can often turn over big profits for schools, they tend to dedicate most of their excess funds towards sports, and rely on sports programs to create large profits for the school. When school administrators see how much sports unite, excite, and benefit the school, they develop a respect for sports and consider it a necessity to provide a good sports program for their students and community. Also in his article, Koba quotes an interviewee named Mark Conrad who is the associate professor of legal and ethical studies at Fordham University 's school of... ... middle of paper ... ...r hobbies. Incorporating various programs into the school curriculum allows for individuality and creativity which is why school programs should allow room for students to explore various different trades and hobbies for the best results. Works Cited Bryant, Bob. "The Importance of Fine Arts Education." Katy Independent School District. Katy Independent School District, n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. Gerdy, John R. "Football or Music? What 's the Best K-12 Investment? "Education Week. Editorial Projects in Education, 23 June 2015. Web. 10 May 2016. Holcomb, Sabrina. "Arts Education." Rss. National Education Association, 17 Jan. 2007. Web. 10 May 2016. Koba, Mark. "High School Sports Have Turned Into Big Business." CNBC. CNBC LLC, 9 Dec. 2012. Web. 10 May 2016. Turbide, Anne F. "Why Art Programs Are Beneficial to Students." The Synapse. N.p., 15 May 2015. Web. 10 May 2016.

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