I want to applaud and amplify the bravery, eloquence, and insight of the Santa Barbara Unified School District students who stayed up way after bedtime last Tuesday, March 11, to share their stories about the impact of arts education. As a 16-year-old San Marcos student put it, “The arts taught me to advocate for myself and for others in situations where we feel, especially as kids, that we have no power.”
I urge everyone reading this to defer the next episode in their Netflix queue and spend 30 minutes listening to some of our most expressive children reveal what’s inside their heads and hearts. The students’ presence at the School Board meeting grounded the budgetary debate and proposed recourse of eliminating “specials,” especially arts. They described how arts have helped them overcome cyberbullying, economic insecurity, mental health issues, and more.
The students’ comments were heartwarming and heartbreaking. The dialogue underscored that we give our kids, who face increasing pressure — socially, economically, and academically — very few channels to feel Big Feelings. Downgrading their limited music and art opportunities from “nice to have” to “not at all” is unacceptable. And terrifying.
One student shared earnestly that “Art saved my life.” Young people affirm this again and again. They credit arts as the anchor that keeps them from resorting to violence against themselves — or others.
Despite universal agreement that arts do good things, arts in schools continue to be sidelined as “specials.” This trend persists despite the buffet of empirical data supporting the unequivocal benefits of arts education. It persists despite daily engagement with arts — the music we listen to, the movies we watch, the articles we read. Economically, arts are more than STEAM — they offer a potential future for many of our students: California’s creative economy generates 2.7 million jobs.
Arts also offer inroads to culturally relevant education that many of our textbooks — often tweaked editions of fossilized tomes — do not encompass. Students who do not see their histories or communities reflected in those books can find more in art. An eighth grader at La Colina Junior High said, “Music helps teach kids about different cultures and genres of music.” And an eighth grader at La Cumbre Junior High said, “band is the thing that keeps me going throughout the day.”
Unsurprisingly, kids who feel engaged by curriculum or peers are more likely to go to school. Per U.S. Department of Education data, students with access to arts education are five times less likely to drop out.
The students already know this. A Santa Barbara High freshman said, “These classes are a vital community resources that keep our youth safe and off the streets.” As a San Marcos sophomore warned, “What happens when kids don’t like school? They leave. They drop out … These are real people and real kids turning into real adults.”
As with most cuts, those to arts disproportionately diminish opportunities and outcomes for students of color. Several student speakers echoed concerns for their peers without access to resources.
The students also relayed before-and-after stories such as discovering that their jazz combo could get professional gigs, or finding community for the first time in their theater classes. They spoke with gratitude and reverence about the “passion and care” of their arts teachers — including Ms. Nelson, Mr. Ortega, Mr. Kiyoi, Mr. Ravelli, Ms. Pantages, Ms. Saleh, Mr. Lashua, Mr. Hughes, Ms. Ware, and Ms. Caruso.
These teachers’ contributions are priceless. And in SBUSD’s $230 million budget, arts are a relatively inexpensive investment that immediately pays dividends. Last year, SBUSD’s chronic absenteeism (defined as missing 10% or more of school) rate was 23.8 percent. On a human scale, we have no fewer than 3,230 struggling kids. On a financial scale, the district loses money every time a kid misses school. California is one of only six states calculating school funding based on attendance and not enrollment. And absences cost. The algorithm varies per district, but it’s generally around $50-$80 per student, per day.
This is a self-perpetuating issue. My parents were lifelong public school educators. I understand, acknowledge, and mourn that more is asked of public school teachers, administrators, and students than is possible with current resources.
But when a quarter of our kids aren’t making it to school, we need to revisit core assumptions. This includes how arts are incorporated into SBUSD’s annual LCAP (Local Control and Accountability Plan). As a Santa Barbara High School freshman pointed out, “Why do the board directors go immediately to the performing arts department. Theater, choir, band, and dance, when there are over 15 physical education courses?”
Many student speakers pointed out the disconnect between the proposed cuts and SBUSD’s motto: “We prepare students for a world that is yet to be created.” One San Marcos freshman asked, “How are you preparing me for the world that is yet to be created if I’m not given the chance to explore what I want to do?”
If we’re truly committed to supporting our kids, let’s acknowledge their role in shaping that future and equip them with the creative tools to build it.
