Year after year, students who want nothing to do with singing somehow end up performing in the school choir. This may seem absurd—after all, chorus is an elective—but the reality is that since 1988, a full credit of music or art is required for a high school diploma in New York State. Students who dislike art or music are stuck between a rock and a hard place as they are forced to “choose” something they don’t enjoy. Although this requirement is meant to help encourage students to achieve a more well-rounded education and promote the development of a new personal hobby or profession, simply forcing students to take a full art or music credit is not the solution.
Requiring the fine arts is intended to enhance creativity and lower stress. After all, things like drawing and playing an instrument have been proven to improve grades and mental health. However, that is only for those who choose to take part in those activities. When they are compulsory, the outcome is quite the opposite. It strips students’ natural creativity and kills all potential interest. Instead of a fun activity, the fine arts become a chore. Assignments become work to stress over, not a hobby to enjoy. This can lead to procrastination and even cheating, which then creates significant long-term study problems.
Additionally, grading art and music classes is highly subjective, and a far cry from more objective subjects, such as math or history. As a result, students who are less artistically inclined may lose motivation compared to others who are more talented. This can greatly affect a student’s performance and self esteem, and hurt them in other classes, and even outside of school. Those who are more skilled in art or music might thrive in an environment where they are graded on their performance in these areas, but it should be their choice to enroll in those classes, not an obligation.
Another major issue is that many schools do not have enough funding for a qualified art teacher. This obliges schools to hire less qualified teachers who will intensify the negative effects that exist even with a qualified teacher. In New York City, approximately 300 public schools do not have certified teachers, which is about 20% of all of New York City’s schooling district. This vexing problem makes requiring a fine arts credit for everyone in the state even more counterproductive.
Finally, there are plenty of other electives students might want to take, and only a few free periods to take them. For instance, if a student is particularly interested in science, they might not have the time for the elective they really want to take if art or music fills that space in their schedule. Therefore, the fine arts requirement doesn’t only force students to take classes they don’t want to, but it even limits their opportunity to take classes they do want to.
All in all, the fine arts credit—while well-intentionerd—does not fit the reality of New York’s public schools. When programs are underfunded, students uninterested, and teachers struggling to grade fairly, the required credit stops serving its purpose. Art should be a source of creativity, not a source of stress and anxiety. It’s time that New York State reconsiders the fine arts requirement and gives schools and students the choice and flexibility to pursue what truly supports their growth.
