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Open Dialogue IXSan Jose, California
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Influencing Policy on the Local Level in Support of Arts and Education
Convener:
Shirley K Sneve
Participants:
Ellisa Collier, Barbara Buck, Cheryl Platon, Veronica Enrique
Current federal political philosophy supports smaller government and lower taxes. The result at the local level is the ghettoization of our public schools. The trickle down tax cuts land at the local level resulting in the elimination of arts and athletic programs in public schools, K–12.
Communities need to be convinced of the errors in this philosophy. Without arts and sports in schools, many (perhaps most) students lose their incentive for getting out of bed and participating in their education. Schools suffer, communities suffer. Those who can afford private or charter schools removed their children, and subsequently their tax dollars in support of public education are diverted to other things.
Action steps:
- Empower communities to participate.
- Demand involvement through communications. Work with school advocacy groups (parent-teacher organizations) to help created the mechanisms for communications, such as listservs and schools newsletters on line.
- Working through community arts groups, help shape sound bite messages for community members to use to prove the case for arts education.
- Encourage corporate America's accountability to our youth as well. Do not support the violent culture in video games, TV and movies that is offered to our children.
- Support intergenerational activities to engage citizens and close the generation gap. Relationships can be created so these two diverse groups begin to care for each other and understand their own issues.
- Work with Americans for the Arts to help deliver the message to the local level.
- In the meantime, how can local arts groups step up to the plate to help these disenfranchised groups?