As school districts around the state look at ways to make the legislature’s 2.25 percent increase in educational funding stretch to cover their needs, many people are questioning what impact this will have on programs some may consider unnecessary. Kuemper Catholic High School English teacher, Jean Guy asked local representatives, Sen. Mark Segebart and House Representative Brian Best, if these programs were ever discussed at the state level. She said it is great to have the focus on STEM, college credits and physical education, but that focus doesn’t always address the things that bring pleasure into our lives.
Sen. Segebart says that he has long valued the way fine arts programs provide alternative ways of thinking.
Guy stated, there is a lot of value placed on fine arts, but there never seems to be any consideration of it at the state level when it comes to compensation. Best said this is an unfortunate situation they are forced to face.
Best added, the conversation about dollars and cents is one that legislators need to have in order to avoid seeing schools pare down or cut these programs.
