Within the concerns over our nation’s rising debt, legislators have set up a false choice: either hurt the economy by raising taxes or sell out America’s future with severe cuts to education.
When the latter is chosen, these funding cuts leave schools with the decision on what programs to cut. Because schools will not cut subjects such as math or English, they are forced to cut the art and music programs simply on the belief that they are less critical to a child’s education and development.
What legislators fail to realize is that the arts are a stepping-stone to America’s future economic success, and that’s something we can all agree with.
While it is understandable that programs like math and English avoid being cut because of the importance of “winning the future,” part of winning America’s future is promoting the creativity and imagination of our next generation. Local programs right here in D.C. that embrace the creative arts exemplify this economic imperative.
Mentors of Minorities in Education’s Total Learning Cis-Tem (M.O.M.I.E’s TLC) is a non-profit dedicated to “nurturing the genius” of children by creating a transformative educational experience. M.O.M.I.E’s TLC will continue to fight in the battle to keep art an active part of children’s growth and development. The M.O.M.I.E’s TLC program focuses on integrating creativity and culture to students after school through community engagement.
M.O.M.I.E’s TLC is currently fighting to keep art and culture part of children’s growth and development through their program. As of right now, M.O.M.I.E’s is raising funds to help fill the budget gap of their new building which will house the permanent space for the after-school program by Howard University.
The building will be an eco-green children’s center, with high quality programs that are fully interactive. Their goal is to create a learning environment with a garden roof-top classroom, rainwater tanks and a geo-thermal heating system. An eco-green building will create a multiplier effect in which savings can generate funding for education rather than building costs. Thus, the fund will be helping children and the environment.
The world around is constantly changing, a lesson we learn every day. Our education system should reflect this and allow for the lessons in our children’s schools to change as well. This proves that if the schools will cut the arts programs, it is the duty of the public to help fund programs like M.O.M.I.E’s TLC, which will help children with interactive learning through the expression of the arts.
Morgan Steinburg,SOC, 2012
Jill Gurich, SOC, 2012
