Music educators agitato over bill
State music educators agitato over bill

By Wendy K. Kleinman

Published: April 2, 2008

Music educators are sounding their horns over a bill they say will effectively silence music programs in some schools if it becomes law.

Their problem is with a proposal to double the number of required hours of physical education instruction to 120 minutes per week without providing funding for more teachers, said Wes Singleton, president of the Oklahoma Music Educators Association and a music teacher at Lone Grove Public Schools.

Principals already have told some music teachers that their jobs will be cut if the bill passes, to make time and money available to meet the mandate, he said.

Singleton said he previously learned that state senators would vote today on HB 2574, which passed the House. However, that seems unlikely since the bill is not listed on the agenda of the responsible committee.

But even if the bill dies, the issue is very much alive, said bill co-author Sen. Clark Jolley, R-Edmond.

"I think what this bill has done so far is it's brought a discussion and more of an awareness of the impact that music has, and not only that but sadly the expendability of music education. It was the very first item that people said would be cut and I think that's regrettable.

"But we also have to look at what to do to make sure our kids aren't growing more and more obese, and more and more prone to diabetes, because that is a very real problem,” Jolley said.

But Kathy Hixson, president of the Oklahoma Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, said she hopes the idea moves forward.

"I realize that schools can't take care of the problem — I mean we can't completely wipe out that risk. We also know that kids who are more active and more physically fit score better on academic test scores,” she said. Physical activity also helps students burn off stress and focus on studies, said Hixson, an associate professor at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah.

Music educators haven't discounted her points, but maintain that music education provides those benefits as well.

Music instruction helps students with self-esteem, musical outgrowth and their ability to express themselves, in addition to their critical thinking skills, said Cristi Miller, president-elect of the music association and a music teacher in Putnam City.

"If you take those things away to add some P.E., that takes away from the whole child,” Miller said.

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