It is that time of the year – work is starting to pick up and school is back in session. To mark the beginning of a new academic year, this month’s round-up of news focuses on current events regarding arts education.
The Place for Art When It’s Left Behind: In the annual art issue of T, by the New York Times, author M. H. Miller discusses how arts and cultural education have suffered most from the myriad of disruptions in the United States. It touches on the constraints of the typical art school and its problems, but it highlights that they also encourage students to discover themselves through creativity and learning. The article also points to other features in the issue of arts education.
Handling Schools That Deem Black American Heroes Not “Age Appropriate”: Censorship is increasing at an alarming rate in the United States, from banning books to rewriting history books to cover up some of the country’s more shameful moments. A Florida special education elementary school teacher recently resigned after a behavior analyst and behavior coach directed him to remove photos of historical African American figures in his classroom, such as Martin Luther King Jr., Colin Powell, and President Barak Obama. This follows Florida’s recent passing of the Stop Woke Act, which forbids teaching subjects that suggest certain groups of people are oppressed or privileged based on the various aspects of their identity.
Kids Are Creative – Let Them Play!: As school can be an outlet for creativity and place for young children to explore themselves and their interests, it is important to remember that kids know how to play. This article reminds readers that kids are naturally curious and find joy in simplicity and that adults and educators can help foster that by being “boring” and allowing kids to take the reins on what they deem fun. It helps foster a creative and curious generation.
National Endowment for the Humanities Grant Recipients: The National Endowment for the Humanities announced the recipients of their third round of funding this year, which will support 226 projects across the country. From educational programming for high school and college students, to the important work of Peabody Collections, as well as research about clouds and red hair, the grants aim to increase the awareness and prevalence of arts and culture in the United States.