Not enough art in school?

As I wrote my last post about keeping art in school, I realized that there also isn't enough art in school. If you think about it, in a general middle school setting the students only get maybe 1 year of art. That year is split up between art and music, sometimes it isn't even a whole year. I remember when I was in middle school, we took an art and music class in 7th grade and after that it was optional IF you could fit it in your schedule with all your other academics.

Now when students get to high school they can basically pick any electives they want as long as they have enough credits to graduate. Sure you get some kids who take the art class for an easy A and other kids who actually want to be there. I feel like the arts are not really important to most schools. I don't like share that opinion. I think art is a great way for students to express themselves (as I have said in my other post).

Honestly though, there isn't much art in school. In elementary school the children get one day of music and one day of art a week. Thats two days a week every week. I honestly do not think that is enough. Of course academics are important because that is what children will use when they get older (etc. math, english, science, geography...) But as a person who is trying to become an Art teacher I think that art is really important for students and there should be more opportunities for students to take art classes. 

Art In Schools

I think that I heard somewhere that they are thinking about reducing the arts in public schools. I think that is a shame. First of all, art can be really useful as a tool to help students express themselves in ways that they might not be able to do in other classes or in other ways. I have been looking up websites that are for keeping art in public schools, and ways of enhancing the art programs of schools. One website that I found interesting was www.artinaction.org its a whole program dedicated to bring visual art education to the classroom, and they are nonprofit.
I think I would like to do something like that when I become a teacher. I want my students to be able to appreciate art, take it in, become creative and use their imaginations. Art also keeps kids out of trouble.
Who ever thought of reducing art in public schools obviously was not looking at the big picture. Keeping art in schools can improve student's grades, their ideas, their achievements and their lives. Art is fun and should definitely not be taken away. Everyone should be able to do art and enjoy it.