Don't Cut Off Funding for Music Education

The economy has been horrible for the last few years now. With the recent recession along with a high unemployment rate, it has been tough on everyone and the budget right now is going through a record braking deficit. Since times are tight right now, politicians are trying to find ways to save money and cutting out unnecessary spending by getting rid of a number of programs. One of those programs that might end up on the cutting block is music education. Here are the following reasons why slashing the music programs in this country is a horrible idea.

1. Music gives kids something to do

Any type of music program can give students something to do, especially after school. In some cases, students can't wait to hear the school bell to ring in the afternoon, ending the day so that they can get to music class. Being a person who benefited from having a music class in my elementary school in the early 1980s(I was introduced to music in 2nd grade) from personal experience, music is a very important activity because it allowed me the chance to play an instrument and to learn about the great composers in music history ( Beethoven, Chopin, Bach, Schubert, Mozart, Wagner,Tchaikovsky,Haydn etc.)

However, if these politicians have their way, the music programs will get cut out of the school curriculum. Music programs were first cut in the 1970s and 1980s, leaving students will too much idle time on their hands and it's no coincidence that crime, drugs and gangs exploded during the mid to late 1980s, mainly because the kids who were doing it had nothing to do after school. You used to see kids going to school carrying a music case with a flute, saxophone or guitar in their hand all the time. Now, you don't see that too often, which is sad to say the least. It will be a total disaster if music programs are removed from school for good.

2. Music + education = Success in the classroom

Studies have indicated that students who are in music programs fair better academically than those who are not. Being involved in music gives students a balance in their life. Also, it gives them a stronger focus, tougher discipline as well because in many cases, you will need a certain grade point average to stay in the music program, so it would not make any sense for a student to jeopardize that chance to have poor grades and drop out of the class because if that happens, then they need to work hard to get back in the program.

Recently, researchers has said that people should not look deeper in the correlation between music education and success in the classroom. I strongly disagree with that because music does help students out in having a balanced life; meeting new students of different races, cultures and encourages teamwork.


3. Music is used to express one's self creatively

For example, if a student is quiet and always keep by themselves (like me), music is a great to allow them to break out of that shell. If a student is very demonstrative, they can use music to let out all that frustration or whatever is on their mind. Music programs across the country have instruments for teachers and students to play with along with computer software to compose some new tunes. In a number of cases, students cannot afford to buy a instrument, so they just play with the instruments( guitar, piano, drums, trumpet, saxophone, flute, etc.) in music class and learn something new. Also, with the computer software, students can learn how to compose music ( if the software is not available, they can used some music notation staff paper to create new compositions. Who knows, you might find the next Quincy Jones, John Williams, Carole King, Carole Bayer Sayer, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Babyface, Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff Robert Plant,etc. in your own classroom.


4. Music can used as a path to a better life

Let's just say for example, you grew up a rough neighborhood, where the job prospects are pretty low and it's not a great place to live in. If you join and participate in a music program either at school in your local area, there is a chance you can perform in concerts across the city. Who knows, after that, you might have the chance to travel across the state to play or sing, where, you would to go various cities and towns in the United States. Next, if you, your band or group is really good, you could travel overseas to perform in concert or attend a music conference. After returning home from your trip, you realize that there's a bigger world out there than your neighborhood.

For a number of students, they have never been anywhere outside of their neighborhood, so this is an eye opening experience for them. Also, music can be a ticket out of the not so pleasant environment they are currently living in. With hard work, discipline, staying focused, strong determination, and a take charge attitude, they can live the life that they have always dreamed about (nice looking house in a great neighborhood, a car(s), etc. )

5. Music is fun

There is nothing like playing an instrument, whenever you're 8 or 100 years old. It is always fun to learn how to play all of the various chords (C to B-Majors and Minors) different music styles ( Pop R&B, Gospel, Blues, Latin, Funk, Boogie Woogie, Classical, Country, Dance/Disco, Reggae, New Age, Folk or just playing a new song for the first time. Sure, you will get frustrated when it does not sound right when you start playing the song, but with time, patience and a regular practice schedule, you will get the tune down pat without the use of sheet music.

Final Word

The politicians who want to slash the music programs across the country are insane. Some of these folks are the same people who are subscribers to show on Broadway to show their support for the arts, but when push comes to shove, want to get rid of music education all together. Memo to those politicians: it not my fault you cannot play an instrument, don't blame me for that! Don't punish folks like us who love to play and enjoy sharing our talent to the world.

If Bernard Hopkins speaks, would anyone care to listen?

The recent comments by Bernard Hopkins about Donovan McNabb is quite troubling and in my opinion as an African American man, very idiotic to say the least. For those who missed the story, Hopkins in his one-sided tirade, said that because McNabb grew up in a middle class suburb of Chicago, that he not black enough. What? Since when did Hopkins become the spokesperson for social justice in Black America. The last time I checked, he is not Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; Malcolm X; Medgar Evers; Andrew Young, Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton. Also when it comes to athletes speaking out about racial issues, he's not Jackie Robinson, Arthur Ashe, Bill Russell and definitely not Muhammad Ali. What Hopkins is a great boxer but a very ignorant man to say the least.


The Back Story

The Hopkins-McNabb one sided beef started when Hopkins, a Philadelphia-native, questioned the leadership and toughness of McNabb, former quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles from 1999 to 2009. Philadelphia is a city with very passionate sport fans and as an athlete they will love you if you give it your all in every single game you play in, but will boo and let you have it if you lack effort/heart and possess a "I don't care attiude." Hopkins has questioned if McNabb had the toughness to compete in the National Football League. Well, at least one ex-teammate wondered the same thing: Terrell Owens, who played with McNabb for 2 years in Philadelphia. Owens questioned McNabb's toughness after Super Bowl XXXIX, which led to a drawn out beef with McNabb that was played out in the media (it somewhat reminded you of the whole Shaq-Kobe rift during their time together with the Los Angeles Lakers.) Eventually as time went on the two ex-teammates (McNabb stayed in Philly before getting traded to Washington while Owens went to play for the Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals) patched up their differences a few years later.


In recent articles, Hopkins has called McNabb a slave who worked in the big house (the Philadelphia Eagles) while being a yes man to the Philadephia Eagles (Owner/General Manager Jeffrey Laurie and Head Coach Andy Reid.) Also, he added that McNabb received a cold reminder on what the Eagles though of him when he was traded to the Redskins in April 2010. Hopkins said this quote in the Philadephia Daily News :

"Why do you think McNabb felt he was betrayed? Because McNabb is the guy in the house, while everybody else is on the field. He's the one who got the extra coat. The extra servings. 'You're our boy,' " Hopkins said, patting a reporter on the back in illustration. "He thought he was one of them."

Those of us who are sports fans has the right to question McNabb's leadership or football skills because that is what we do. But using the whole slave analogy to describe McNabb is insane.

Question of Blackness?

Hopkins believes that since McNabb grew up in a nice suburban neighborhood, he doesn't know anything about working hard and being tough. Also, he said that since he, Owens and Michael Vick, current quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles, all grew up in a rough environment, they know a think or two about being tough while being raised in a poor community. Hopkins said the following quote to point out how those who grew up poor has an advantage over people who were raised in a middle/upper class neighborhood:

Look at professional boxing. I've never seen a suburban boxer be successful," Hopkins said. "There has to be something in the DNA of the person's experience, of what they overcame, to have that grit; like, I'm going to bite down and let it happen. I just didn't see that in him."

What? I don't know if the statement is true or not, but boxing is an individual sport. That belief does not hold up when it comes to team sports such as baseball, basketball, football, etc. where it doesn't matter what type of neighborhood you grew up in. What matters the most are your skills, heart, desire and talent because if you don't have none of those intangibles, you will lose playing time and wind up on the bench, or worse yet, management might just cut you from the team for good.

According to Hopkins' definition of what blackness is, I guess he would probably question my own blackness as well. You see, my parents raised my brother and I in a middle class neighborhood where there were more whites than blacks. For example, through a 3 block radius, you can can count on hand how many African American families that lived around us (there 5 black families spread among the 3 streets in the neighborhood.) My parents worked hard for everything and they instilled that in the both of us. As an African American you must work hard for everything because 1) In many situations, you are only black face one in the room, group, in the meeting, etc. and you have to work twice as hard than everyone else to prove you really belong and 2) to dispel every negative stereotype people have about you. The only problem here is that every single time you shoot down a negative stereotype, there is someone in our community (African American) that reinforces it time and time again.

What Hopkins failed to point out was that if you're a black person that grew up in a nice neighborhood, you have to be tough and have some thick skin because you still have to go thorough the same nonsense that every black person experiences such as getting stopped by the police; women clutching their purse the moment they see you; people setting their car alarm when they see you either go to or leaving the parking lot; getting followed in stores by a clerk or security guard; The public doesn't know that you live in a great neighborhood. They will just assume that you're from a tough area and they will based their beliefs on every stereotype have heard about us.

Oh, by the way, since when blackness is defined by either growing up in a rough neighborhood; going through the legal system (jail, prison, probation, parole) or standing on the block hustling? I didn't get the memo about that is what we need to go through in order to be a black person in America.

Stop this foolishness

Memo to my people: Stop tearing each other down in the media. The idea of doing that in public with cameras and reporters around is just plain stupid. It's great to see that McNabb did not respond to this nonsense. However, on May 13, Fletcher Smith, McNabb's agent addressed the Hopkins comments with this quote:

"It perpetuates a maliciously inaccurate stereotype that insinuates those African-Americans who have access to a wider variety of resources are somehow culturally different than their brethren,"

I strongly agree with Mr. Smith's comments. We need to get rid of that stupid "crabs in the barrel" mentality in our community, where if one of us are doing something positive such as going to school; getting a job; moving to a nice neighborhood; doing volunteer work, etc. or anything that no else in the neighborhood is doing (i.e. oh, I don't know--talking and acting like you have some sense) we are called a sell-out, or we're not black or we are "acting white."What is so wrong about making some change in our lives to turn it around. If you want to grow as an individual, you must have your own thoughts, opinions and separate yourself from everyone else. You expect me to act just like you--it's not going to happen! Just because I'm into different activities than you does not me less black than you.

The folks in my community (African-Americans) need to wake up and stop this petty bickering over who's black and who's not black. To me, if Hopkins has a problem with McNabb, he should have talked to him-man to-man, not go to the nearest microphone or camera and run his mouth. One more point, Hopkins has some serious money as a boxer throughout the years, so isn't this the pot calling the kettle black (no pun intended.)

Final Word

Personally, since Hopkins has the platform to speak, he should use it to talk about real issues such as : Why is black employment higher (currently at 16%) than the national average (right now, it's at 9%); the sad state of violence in our community; how to find ways to stop the availability of drugs and guns in the neighborhood; why there are so many men, women and children going to bed hungry every night; why there are more blacks in prison right now than in college, etc--instead of picking these one sided fights with McNabb.

The sad thing about the whole thing is that Hopkins is a 46 year old man. You would think that he should be old enough to know better, but I guess not.