Art education has long been considered essential for the overall development of students, giving them the opportunity to develop cognitive, emotional, and creative thinking. Many prominent educational institutions across the globe include art subjects as a mandatory part of the curriculum to promote holistic learning. The US education sector has followed suit by introducing Proposition 28, a state mandate that allocates additional funds to schools for hiring and implementing art education on their campuses. Despite these positive steps, many students across the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) face challenges in accessing resources that could support their education in the arts.
Vicky Martinez, a mother of three children enrolled in LAUSD, has brought this issue to public attention by filing a lawsuit against district authorities for misappropriating funds meant for students’ arts education, suggest media reports. Instead of using the funds for their intended purpose, the district has allegedly redirected them to cover other financial obligations. Martinez is part of a group of parents who are accusing the district of misusing Proposition 28 funds and failing to implement it properly. These parents argue that most of the schools that are failing to follow the law are low-income schools, which disproportionately affects Black and Latino students in the community.
Lawsuit explained
Proposition 28 allocated an astounding $1 billion to cover the costs of arts education. However, according to media reports, the funds have allegedly been used to pay for existing staff rather than hiring new art teachers, as required by law.
Austin Beutner, the former LAUSD superintendent and author of Proposition 28, is also part of the group of parents who have filed the lawsuit against the school district, which has not yet commented on the issue.
Proposition 28 clearly states that the allocated funds should supplant, not replace, existing funding for arts education. However, this provision has allegedly not been properly implemented in certain LAUSD schools. Beutner has asserted that the failure to properly implement the proposition has resulted in students being deprived of the arts education they are entitled to. Unions representing LAUSD educators, such as the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) and SEIU Local 99, are supporting the lawsuit and strongly advocating for greater accountability in how arts education funds are distributed.
Vicky Martinez, one of the key figures in the lawsuit, believes that access to the arts could help her children cope with anxiety and ADHD, conditions that have worsened due to the pandemic. Many parents like Martinez, who hoped for transparent and effective use of the funds, have expressed frustration upon learning that the funds have been misused.
Why is art education important for students?
Research has consistently shown that arts education not only fosters creative and emotional aptitude among students but also enhances their academic performance. Studies have demonstrated that students who engage in the arts tend to perform better in other academic areas such as reading, math, and critical thinking. In schools with limited resources, particularly those in low-income areas with a majority of Black or Latino students, arts education is crucial. It provides an engaging, constructive outlet that can keep students connected to their education and improve school attendance.
By misusing the funds allocated for arts education in such schools, LAUSD is depriving certain groups of students of an education that could help them develop critical life skills. This issue reflects a larger, long-standing problem of income and ethnic discrimination in the U.S., which continues to disrupt the lives of students and educators alike.
