We've all seen it. Schools' sports programs thrive, but the arts are put on the back burner. When will this stop? Well, it just got worse.

We all know how the economy has been for the past decade. We as a nation still haven't fully recovered. It has seriously impacted many areas of the government. one of the areas that has felt it the most has been education. Education has been cut left and right, especially here in Oklahoma. What's always the first to go? The classes that aren't necessary for an education: bands, choirs, orchestra, art classes, etc. A band could win their state contest, but they'll be cut before a sports team that can't even make their playoffs. Now, I'm not saying we should cut all the sports instead, but sometimes there are ways to cut back in one area without completely cutting it out to make it possible to keep another area running. That's just not what usually happens. As a future music educator, this is concerning. Will I be able to find a job when I graduate? Will I be able to share the joy that is music like it was shared with me? I don't know.

The fight against the arts, specifically music, just got worse. Now, the government is cutting music too. Representative Martha McSally created a provision that would ensure funds for military bands would not be spent on entertaining generals, elected officials, and dignitaries, but for more "appropriate" ceremonies, like funerals. The provision was approved by voice vote.

What people don't understand is how important the arts actually are. Arts can be used as a therapy. While I was in high school, I didn't have many friends. I wasn't very outgoing and wasn't very good at socializing. The one place I did fit in and made friends was band. If it weren't for band, I don't know if I would've made it through high school. I would've been absolutely miserable. In fact, music therapy is an actual profession and it helps many people with many different disabilities. Future music therapist Alex Robison says it can help "Absolutely anyone. It can help mothers pre-birth all the way to families with after death of elderly." On the subject of schools cutting arts, she says, "It's awful. The arts (music especially, although I might be biased) are a way for kids to productively channel emotions," which is really important when it comes to the therapeutic side of the arts.

Arts are not just therapeutic. The arts are like different languages that can speak across the world and break language barriers. Art speaks in ways that words can't. The military bands would go teach masterclasses or play for dignitaries in other countries where tensions were high with the goal of peace. This was because words just weren't enough. To cut that out is to rebuild the language barrier that art breaks down. Why would that ever be a good idea?

Now, i'm sure you're thinking, "Well, what can I do about it?" I'll tell you exactly what. Talk to your superintendents. Talk to your representatives. Sign petitions. The only way we can help is by being proactive. We can't just sit back and watch it happen anymore. We have to fight back.

Speaking of petitions, here's one to petition the government to keep funding the military bands! https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/continue...