Ortiz 1

Valeria Ortiz
Fogelson
Composition 101
16 February 2016

Art In Education: Textual Analysis

Art within the educational system of the United States has been a heavily debated topic
between those in government and the general public. Both parties have developed strong decisive
decisions concerning art, and its potential benefits. If one takes a look at the ideas and the words
spoken by these litigious sources, it can be easy to see why the presence of art within American
curriculum is not a hindrance, but rather a beneficial step towards the self-realization of all
students. First Lady Michelle Obama, for example, strongly champions the importance of art
within our youth; similarly, the Executive Director of Fine Arts at the Katy Independent School
District, Bob Bryant, argues that study in the arts is integral to our society. By looking at texts
written by these qualified sources, it is clear that the presence of art is critical for the growth of
all children and their future integration into society, and should be more prevalent within our
everyday life.
First Lady Michelle Obama recently gave a keynote address at the first Jane Ortner
Education Award Luncheon, a fundraiser for the Grammy Museum. Within her speech she made
it very evident how significant art was within American education;
Because for so many young people, arts education is the only reason they get up out of
bed in the morning...They go to school each day because theres an instrument they want
to play, a musical they want to perform in, a painting they are dying to finish. See, and
then once they arrive in those classrooms, thats when we can teach them something else,

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like math and writing and science. That is the power of the arts for so many of our young
people (Lewis).
She explains here that art is not just a fun, arbitrary activity that is used to occupy students; art is
a tool used to unlock the full potential of each and everyone of these young minds. All children
learn differently, and assuming that one strategy will be effective for all students is a gross
overgeneralization. First Lady Obama understands this, and makes it clear to her audience that
art is necessary for the growth of our students, especially those who might not understand other
core subjects, like math or english. With art, we can not only teach the children important
lessons, but inspire within them a bright passion that will leave them, as Obama states,
transformed with a new sense of purpose and hope.
First Lady Michelle Obama is not the only one who feels that way. Bob Bryant is the
director of Fine Arts for the Katy Independent School District in Texas. Within his article The
Importance of Fine Arts Education, he takes a more analytical approach towards the benefits of
an art education. Throughout his dissertation, he lists all the possible socioeconomic,
psychological, and neurological benefits of an increased art education. For example, he states
that the arts develop neural systems that produce a broad spectrum of benefits ranging from fine
motor skills to creativity, and improved emotional balance (Bryant). By including this
information he is appealing to the analytical and logical part of his audience. Bryant isnt trying
to make you feel empathy, he is trying to make you see reason through the use of hard facts and
statistics.
Both of these speakers, even though they take completely different approaches towards
the art debate, are all advocating for the same social change. Popular opinion among the
educational sector in the United States is pretty negative towards art education: its opposers

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argue that school curriculum should refocus its attention towards the main core classes. Yet, what
these individuals dont understand is that art does not take away from the value of these other
classes; rather, the union of these two educational elements help the students absorb these lessons
as completely as possible. Michelle Obama and Bob Bryant strive to spark a movement where
the people of the United States can change how our future students are taught. Change is always
a difficult thing to enact but if done correctly, it can succeed in cultivating a new generation of
well-rounded and enlightened individuals.

Work Cited
Bryant, Bob. The Importance of Fine Arts Education. Katy Independent School District. n.d.
Web. 17 Mar. 2016.
Lewis, Randy, and Los Angeles Times.Michelle Obamas Keynote Speech at Grammy Museum
Luncheon. latimes.com, 17 July 2014. Web. 19 Mar. 2016.