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Monday, February 8, 2010

PBS: Next "Golden Age" Of Arts In America - THE DAILY RIFF - Be Smarter. About Education.

PBS: Next "Golden Age" Of Arts In America - THE DAILY RIFF - Be Smarter. About Education.


Spearheaded By The Surge In New Media, PBS Prez Announces "Major Online Initiative"  Bringing Arts To Wider Audience In An Impassioned Speech In Los Angeles.


"I believe we have an opportunity to usher in another golden age of arts in America. I think in part, it begins with new media. . ."

"Advocates point out that art education boosts students' cognitive development, improves their confidence, and strengthens their problem solving skills. Students with a strong background in the arts tend to have better grade point averages, score better on reading and math tests, and have lower dropout rates."

 ". . .public schools aren't just putting history classes on the back burner;
they're taking them off the stove completely.
This is heartbreaking, and I think this is also a huge issue for us as a country."

              --- Paula A. Kerger, President & CEO, PBS


The following are excerpts of an important speech by Paula A. Kerger, President and CEO of PBS (Public Broadcasting Service.  It was delivered to Town Hall, Los Angeles on January 12, 2010 at the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy in downtown Los Angeles.
 
Kerger shares some thoughts on the importance of arts in public education, the disturbing realities and statistics of U.S. committment to the arts compared to other countries, the ramifications of budget cuts and NCLB (No Child Left Behind), and asks us to rise to the