Arts Education and a national crisis

We are preparing something pretty big here at NCTF.  So hang on and stay tuned.  Today, I want to frame the arts education issue as one of national crisis.  Yes, our education system in general has declined to the point that the Council on Foreign Relations just issued a report saying it has become a national security issue.  This report, prepared by a committee chaired by Condoleezza Rice and Joe Klein, outlines the failure of so many youth to qualify for military, diplomatic or intelligence service posts.  This time, they do not decry the usual science and math crisis so much as the problem of our schools and the “whole person” our society needs.

This is when the conversation turned to arts education.  Catch this:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2012/03/condoleeza-rice-makes-the-case-for-arts-as-vital-part-of-education.html

We want to do something about this, and we’re laying the groundwork now.  Stay tuned, and let me know what you think should be done.  Rebuilding the services and systems that created this prosperous, successful nation will take a long time, and all our efforts.  Please join us!