Faced with the fact that elected officials over the years have built up a government it can no longer afford, public schools are cutting back on “essential” programs such as theater, choir and Chinese classes.
“In my 35 years in education, I have never seen or had to endure such draconian cuts in education,” wailed Bob Gerye, principal at Spring Valley High School in Las Vegas to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Apparently the “draconian” cuts to drama classes, choir and Chinese are because, get this, “of state mandates requiring core classes such as English and math.” I mean, what the hell does English and math have to do with a solid, well-rounded education? What’s next on the “draconian” chopping block…diversity and self-esteem classes? Oh, the humanity!
By the way, I personally see value to drama classes and the theater. That’s why I’ve paid, out of my own pocket, for my home-schooled children to participate in non-public school children’s theater and drama programs. I’ve also paid, out of my own pocket, for foreign language classes.
So why, pray tell, should taxpayers be funding such non-core educational programs for everyone else’s kids?
