Music Advocacy - Opportunity, Responsibility, Leadership      

by Robert Morrison

I am honored to have been asked to be here with you today to talk with you about something that is very important to me: music and children. I have spent the better part of the last decade fighting for this very issue - to ensure that every child would have access to a well-balanced education which includes music. And that is what we are here to talk about today.

Over the years I have made presentations in hundreds of communities as we worked to fight the battles for music education across this country. Then there was an air of crisis as we were losing programs and the status of music and its legitimacy as part of a child's education was being challenged. Today I speak to you not about crisis, but of opportunity for education - for our community and for you to succeed and grow in your programs. I speak to you not of responding to the actions imposed by others, but of our responsibility to proactively decide what we want for the future of our music. I speak to you, not of waiting for someone to show us the way, but of the leadership each of us must provide. Opportunity. Responsibility. Leadership.

Before I start I must set the record straight. I am not a musician.... I am a drummer. Kinda makes you feel superior to me right off the bat, doesn't it? But it is obvious to me, a drummer, the lowest form of life in our musical universe that - now more than ever, all of us in the entire music education community and indeed the entire music community have more control over the destiny of music in our schools than at any time in our history. This is our opportunity.

To put this into perspective it is important, indeed critical, that we examine the road we have traveled to understand how far we have come to recognize how far we still must go to reach our ultimate goal of music for every child.

A Brief History

Just a short time ago...

National Education Goals Released - In 1989 the six National Education Goals were unveiled. Goal #3 stated "children will demonstrate competency in core subjects English, math, science, history and geography." Something missing? Well this omission of music and the arts from our nation's educational agenda was the straw that brought together the partners of the National Coalition for Music Education which was discussed earlier.

In 1991 President George Bush announced America 2000 - and again core subjects were listed as English, math, science, history and geography. Again no music or the arts.

All requests to change Goal #3 were met with blunted replies of "No" from then President Bush to then Secretary of Education Lamar Alexander and head of the Governor's Goals Panel Roy Romer among others.

And then, just three years ago then Secretary Alexander, the highest ranking education official in this country and himself a musician, called music and the other arts... "Extracurricular."

This provided the coalition partners with the proof that was needed to get people moving to fight for our music programs.

For two and a half years we battled for inclusion and recognition as part of education reform and were constantly rebuffed no matter how strong the case or influential the leaders brought out on our behalf.

But, in one 10-day time period this all changed. Mike Greene took the stage at the Grammy Awards on February 25, 1992 and in front of 1.5 BILLION people launch the following salvo "... America's creative environment affords all of its citizens the opportunity to create and appreciate music, and that begins with education. In the near future, you're going to be hearing a great deal about the government's plan for education, It's called AMERICA 2000. It's a supposed educational blueprint for the next millennium. And guess what? Among the goals, the words 'art' and 'music' are not even mentioned one time. The very idea that you can educate young people in a meaningful way without music and art is simply absurd."

Just a few days later a concert had been scheduled to protest the lack of inclusion of the arts in the National Education Goals and the threatened cuts to the music program in Blount County, Tenn. (organized by the choral director Stacey Wilner and the art teacher Carla Thomas with the support of the Tennessee Coalition for Music Education). Country stars were sending in letters of support and there were rumors and newspaper stories about stars attending the concert to support the protest.

Why was this so important? Because this is the home town of Lamar Alexander who said "if it were my community I would want to be sure that the school provided music and art." Well, this was his community and we were to take him at his word. The Secretary became so obsessed with the bad publicity that he even went so far as to have his public affairs officer contact a local newspaper and pose as a parent to see if Garth Brooks would be at the concert for fear of the additional negative media that would create. AMAZING!

In an effort to head off the negative press Secretary Alexander announced from a pay phone in an airport to an education reporter in Nashville "America 2000 Arts Partnership" just in time to be printed in the paper the day of the concert (March 6, 1992). A major new education initiative for music and arts education for the country and it is announced to an education reporter in Nashville?

Now ask yourself- Did this decision to add the arts have anything to do with.... KIDS?

Unfortunately the answer is NO!

You see, it is sad to say that music and the other arts as partners in education came about not because of what was right and just and in the best interest of our nation's children but because of a political necessity in response to an uprising by the music community, the coalition, by your peers. It once was standard policy for music educators to approach the issue from a philosophical standpoint quoting from Plato and Socrates and thinking that God was on our side. But this was the wrong approach. This time we fought by THEIR rules, political rules. And we were successful. Which brings us to our first lesson:

Lesson #1

A Political Problem DEMANDS a Political Response

I say this because anything that involves power, policy, and the allocation of resources involves politics. And when you think about education it clearly involves all three. 

What else has happened since that announcement?

February 23, 1993 Secretary of Education Richard Riley released his statement of support on the importance of Arts in education.

The overwhelming response to the statement from music and arts educators, advocates, and supporters gave the Secretary the courage to then change the National Education Goals and add the Arts to the new education legislation "Goals 2000."

On March 11, 1994 the National Standards for Arts Education were presented to U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley.

On March 31, 1994 President Bill Clinton signed Goals 2000 and now music and the other arts are codified into federal law as a basic subject.

In November, 1994 the Improving America's Schools Act was passed linking the arts to other federal legislation.

We have moved from the outside looking in to the inside setting the ground rules. Instead of waiting for something to happen the Coalition has been actively making things happen all to the betterment of music education around the country. This was unthinkable just six years ago. It just shows you how quickly things can change. But someone had to take the first step. Someone had to take THE RESPONSIBILITY to make this happen.

This was important because the message sent from our government to our states and our local communities sets the stage for what happens with local control. When a Secretary of Education calls arts extracurricular who is going to argue? When a state legislature defines curriculum based on haves and have-nots, foundation versus enrichment, what message does that send to the local school boards? Education is and must be a local control issue. But, the message sent from the state capitol can either help or hurt children's access to true arts education.

Saving Mr. Holland

In the principal's office scene from Mr. Holland's Opus, do you think, before that moment, Glenn Holland thought he would lose his program and be forced to resign? Of course not! This scene grabbed me by the throat. It did so because of the realism of the situation. It did so because at the American Music Conference we have been on the receiving end of too many calls when the music teacher explained this very scene to us. What Glenn Holland found out that day was something I hope each and every one of you never has to experience, but what each and everyone of you must remember. You must learn this fact of life from Glenn Holland and others. If you do not learn this single lesson here you are destined to learn it from first-hand experience yourself and it will be you in that principal's office if you do not remember:

Lesson #2- No program is safe

That is not to say the hatchet man is right around the corner. But, it can happen at any time... without warning. So, back to Glenn Holland. Did he have a good program? Yes. He had a good program and his students loved him and their music. And it went away anyway? Did the decision to remove the program have anything to do with kids? Of course not! It was about budgets, money and politics. As I said earlier: Power, Policy and the Allocation of Resources = Politics. 

In the community where I live and where my wife teaches band it is filled with great programs. But they have a very active advocacy program because the music programs are constantly at risk. Uninformed administrators out of the blue have attempted to cut these programs even though the programs are among the best in the nation. Everyone must be an advocate! 

You absolutely, positively, unequivocally must get out of the mind set that as long as you win trophies, as long as you get "I's" at festivals, as long as you have A GOOD PROGRAM, you are safe. The reality is BEING GOOD IS NO LONGER GOOD ENOUGH. You have to get out and participate in the political world if our programs are to survive and flourish. This is a fact. We can deplore it and complain about it, but we cannot ignore it, or we do so at our own expense. 

What about the scene in Mr. Holland's Opus when Glenn Holland was arguing his case in front of the School Board? Now...what's wrong with that picture? How about the comment "saving your job"? Was he the best person to argue the point? Did he have the benefit of a parents group? NO! Now let's examine ourselves:

How many of you have booster groups?

How many have used a parents' group to raise money?

How many have trained a parents' group for advocacy?

How many have started or are part of a local advocacy group?

Why do we wait?? - Opportunity, Responsibility...oh, yeah...and... Leadership!!! 

How long does it take to build a good program?... How long for an uninformed administrator to tear it down? Nothing will happen until decision-makers are persuaded and until they are... No Program is Safe!

Many of you may feel, as Glenn Holland, that you do not have the recognition or support or are valued for what you do. Am I correct? Now who do you think has the power to change this feeling?

You do! You have to educate your peers and empower your parents groups. So you ask how?

Lesson #3

People Care...

When we first started we didn't think that a lot of people cared about what happened to music education in schools, and we were wrong. You see, everywhere that we have traveled we found parents who were deeply and passionately concerned about what happened in music education. The interesting thing was they cared, they cared deeply, but they did not know how to care effectively. This represents a big difference!

Parents would go to music educators or music merchants and receive little or no help. That's because we can tell people for five solid hours about the importance of music education and why it's important in people's lives, but we cannot typically give them five good minutes on how to organize themselves to support music programs or work with school boards or monitor budgets or take steps to help music education.

The good news is that people care; they care deeply and they care passionately. The bad news is they do not know how to care effectively, and the thing that is needed is leadership from the music community, from you, to show them HOW to make the difference.

So let's focus on being effective: What if Glenn Holland were a little more proactive. What opportunities could he use to promote the value of his program? What could have the parents done? What arguments could be made? What would you do? What argument could be more persuasive:

National Standards - The National Standards for Arts Education are now being implemented in some way, shape or form in 48 states. Here in Texas they are the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. This gives us a place at the academic table.

Arts in Education Goals - This shows how the arts are considered a core subject in federal legislation.

Assessment - The first NAEP Assessment for the arts will be released later this year. Again, something that puts us on the same level as the other basic subjects.

Gallup Survey Results - Our 1997 Gallup Survey of American Attitudes shows a full 90 percent of the public view music as a basic subject.

SAT Scores - We know that students who study the arts score a combined 107 points higher on the SAT than those who do not. If I am an administrator, judged by test scores, I would want all my students to have music and arts education.

"Music Makes You Smarter" Research - This replaces the anecdotal information about the role of music in the educational process. The research showed that children who received music lessons significantly outperformed their peer group that did not have the music lessons (these groups had nothing, computer training or singing) in one critical area: spatial reasoning. It is the MAKING of music...not listening to music that made the difference. These are the very skills need in critical thinking, complex mathematics, etc. Now we in the music community have the research that shows the importance of our music programs not only for their own sake but because of the impact on the entire learning process. Many people have called this the most significant finding for music education, EVER.

Coalition Victories - Does this work? Yes! In Los Angeles they just added funding to provide instrumental music to 60,000 new students. In Nashville the have just hired 174 new Arts Educators and in New York City the mayor and the schools' chancellor are committed to bringing music and arts education back to the schools with a $75 million commitment. Yes Advocacy Works!

New Initiatives - On top of all this we have a new partnership with VH1 called "Save the Music" which is rolling out in 16 communities this year to rein- stall instrumental music programs. In addition we have launched our first national daily PBS children's television show called The Charlie Horse Music Pizza" starring Shari Lewis in a program to inspire children to get involved with music making.

Roll all this information into one and you can see why I believe we are on the verge of an educational renaissance for arts education the likes we have never seen. We are here because WE MADE IT HAPPEN. And you can do the same in your community! 

If you want your school boards, school administrators and parents to value what you do you must tell them, you must show them, you must educate them about the great work you do. Everyone in this room already knows the importance of your work. Get out of the classroom and into the community and use the information available to educate your community.

"I Support Arts Education"

Because of the things we have discussed today it is clear that over the past decade we have worked hard to make arts education hip again. It's back on the agenda. The research supports this; the data we reviewed supports this. As a result, whenever you get the kind of attention we have achieved on behalf of music and arts education programs you sometimes wake up the rascals. And believe it or not, there are rascals who pretend to support you but in the end they do not.

Lesson #4

What do you mean when you say, "We support arts education?"

To some people this means what you and I think it means: sequential programs taught in schools by qualified teachers based on the acquisition of skills and knowledge to high standards. After all when you look up the definition of education it says skills and knowledge. But to some other folks, who wish to benefit from our communities' hard work, a subtle redefining of arts education has begun to appear. First we see the four distinct arts disciplines being grouped by Visual and Performing Arts, losing their unique Individuality in the process. Now this by itself would not be all bad if there was recognition how arts education should be defined. 

But we found over the past year that many organizations have attempted to define enrichment programs, entertainment, promotional or exposure programs as arts education. A trip to the museum is equal to learning to draw or paint.  Taking students to see an orchestra concert is equal in benefit to teaching the child to make his or her own music. Well, if this were the case wouldn't our most artistically developed humans then be the security guards at the museums and the ushers in our concert halls?

The problem....the danger....the threat....is very real! And here is why. We are all aware that many definitions of arts education compete with each other in the policy arena. Several years ago, a simple formulation was developed to clear matters both nationally and locally. Distinctions were drawn among entertainment, exposure, enrichment, and education. Entertainment involves casual engagement with any art form already known. Exposure involves engagement structured to produce a new experience with art. Enrichment involves engagement or experience crafted to support another educational activity. Education means engagement with an arts discipline as a body of knowledge and skills to be sequentially acquired and applied by a student. 

However, when exposure, enrichment, or entertainment are presented as substantially equivalent to arts education (what you do), the cause of knowledge and skill development in students suffers. In addition, the arts disciplines loose their claim to parity as fundamental studies at the center of general education. We do not attempt to teach reading by taking students on tours of libraries. The benefits of MAKING music cannot be achieved by OBSERVING music. Students DO math. They do not observe math! School based programs cannot be replaced by out of school exposures. When they do children lose access to the valuable benefits a quality arts education provides. All of the science and all of the data and all of the information we have shared today points to the positive benefits when kids learn to make music. There is no proof or data the other way.

Think I am making this up? Let's look at the recent U.S. Senate debate over funding for the National Endowment for the Arts. Here are some quotes:

Senator Jim Jeffords (R-VT) - Quotes SAT's and research and says this is because of the NEA. "Roughly one percent of our schools are good; one percent are doing the job; one percent of our students are getting the kind of education that they need. Ninety-nine percent need lo learn from somebody, somewhere, or somehow how they can improve their results."

Senator William Bennett (R-UT) said the following: "If the NEA funding goes away, the Utah Opera will not disappear. The Utah Shakespearean Festival will not disappear. The Utah Symphony will not disappear. Ballet West will not disappear. These are the leading arts organizations in Utah. But, he says, the school music programs will be hurt. The school musical activities that go on throughout rural Utah will be hurt if the NEA disappears. I think that is something to be concerned about."

Now, I know that the research we discussed or the improvement in SAT performance had nothing to do with the NEA. How many of you would no longer be able to teach if the NEA went away? You see when we allow confusion to rein, stupid things happen. When we allow the public to think that all programs are equal we have put the entire enterprise at risk.

Working with our close friends at MENC, NAEA, AATE, NDA (the four national arts education associations) we met with cultural advocates for the NEA to protest their use of arts education and asked them to fairly represent their educational role. They declined. When we asked that the proper definition be used for arts education they insisted since there was confusion about what is arts education we should not have a definition. Let me repeat that. When we asked that the proper definition be used for arts education they insisted since there was confusion about what is arts education we should not have a definition. Sounds like Washington double talk to me!

And as we speak, the arts education programs in Philadelphia are under attack by cultural organizations who wish to substitute enrichment programs for the classroom programs. Why? It is a great way to raise money! And a bad way to allow education systems off the hook for their responsibility of providing the arts to all children in an educational and viable way. And the poor teachers in the city are just trying to get through the day!

When push came to shove, people who said they supported arts education were willing to sacrifice the PRINCIPLE of arts education for the POLITICAL and TACTICAL convenience to promote themselves, regardless of the consequences for children's learning. This is a shame. 

A wise woman from Texas once said, 'You can take a pig, put her in high heels and a dress, put on make-up and lipstick and call her Monique but when you kiss her…SHE IS STILL A PIG!!!" And just because someone dresses a program up and calls it arts education it does not make it so!

A lot of folks say, "We need to have more artist-in-residence programs in our schools. That's how we should spend education dollars." How many musicians do we have in the room? Drummers? See what some folks fail to get is there are already 200,000 artists-in-residence in our schools, we just call them arts educators. There is no magic lobotomy that happens when a teacher crosses the school house door that takes away and gives back their artistic skills!

Do you see the problem? Do you understand the issue? Now we believe that this battle is far from over. I know we can count on your support as we fight this issue over the next 12 months. I hope we can count on your support. Are you with us?

You see, when we forfeit our responsibil1ty and leave the fate of our programs and what we want for our children in the hands of others, nothing good ever happens. And I might add we get what we deserve.

It is the responsibility of every single one of us who care so passionately about music in education to be sure this myth that music and the other arts are unimportant to the development of our children has been destroyed once and for all, and that the battles waged over the past 10 years do not end in tragedy but in triumph. We now stand at the dawning of this new era of music as partners in education and educational reform. Together, we can set in motion the wheels of progress that will work to institutionalize music and the arts in our schools, a course that cannot be reversed and whose own momentum can carry us into the new century and beyond. This new course will affect our children, their children and their children's children. We all must carry this banner and commit ourse1ves not only for today but from this day forward, until "Every child in every school, in every community, in every city and across this great nation will have access to a balanced, comprehensive, sequential, high quality, well-rounded program in music and the other arts taught by qualified teachers."

This is our challenge. This is our responsibility. And we must meet this challenge. For our recent history has shown that if we do not meet this challenge it will not be met, and we will only have ourselves to blame.

Opportunity...Responsibility... Leadership!!

Now this is when you come in! So what can you do? This battle for our children must be fought and won state by state, district by district and school by school, and in many instances one person at a time. This is when we can make a difference, and you are the warriors. We have won some battles but the war rages on. Each of you must go back to your schools and communities and be the advocates for music making, for music education.

You must learn from lessons which are blazed so clearly in the trail before you. You must inspire others to take up this important cause - friends, colleagues, neighbors, businessmen and other parents. You must be the spark in your community and state to light the fire. If you are still unsure of your role ask yourselves as Robert Kennedy did, "If not me, who? If not now, when?" Get involved!!

As you can see you will not be alone but you must choose to fight. If you think that this task is impossible, just reflect on what has already been done when others said there was nothing we could do. When we put aside our differences and work together for our children, (RESPONSIBILITY) anything is possible. But if you walk out that door and do nothing then all of our efforts over the past decade will have been for naught. Your complacency is just as great a threat as the principal in Mr. Holland's school.

Moments Come and Moments Go

In closing, let me share this story with you: There hangs in the White House, a famous painting of Presklent Theodore Roosevelt by John Singer Sargent. And like most fine paintings, an intriguing stories exists behind it. It seems that Sargent had been cooling his heels in the White House for several days waiting for an appointment to see the President to schedule a time for a sitting. But Roosevelt was always too busy. One day, unexpectedly, Sargent encountered the President at the bottom of the stairway. "Mr. President" he asked, "When might there be a convenient time for you to pose?" "Now," bellowed the President. And today at the foot of the White House stairway stands "Roosevelt in Portrait," his hand on the newel post. It is the best portrait of one of America's great presidents because is captures Roosevelt as he was in life, on his way somewhere.

"Moments come and moments go," the president was telling Sargent. "Here's yours. Seize it. Do your best!" It is a message for all of us.

Moments do come and moments do go. We have standards, TEKS, Goals 2000, Arts in Ed Goals, Assessments, ESEA, student population increase, research, momentum in the press, the national debate we have created, Mr. Holland's Opus, The Charlie Horse Music Pizza, VH1 Save the Music, Congressional activity and public opinion are all on our side. I believe our best years are ahead. The Opportunity to change forever the place of music education in our schools is now clearly before us and the chance to reach our ultimate goal of music for every child is now more attainable than ever, but only if we accept our Responsibility and provide the Leadership to help fight for our children's access to music in your communities and in your schools.

Moments do come and moments do go. Here's Your Moment! Thank you.

Permission is granted to duplicate and distribute the articles and other materials included in this document.

© 2005 TMEA
Updated: 12/16/05