Some parents and teachers say the cut in classrooms is a step back, an assault that could diminish the contribution of the arts in a child's learning. And they worry about a reduction in time devoted to art since teachers will have to use critical instructional minutes to set up and clean up in the borrowed rooms. It's a subject as worthy as reading and mathematics. Art teachers said the only solution is for the state to make art a part of the core curriculum at the elementary level and for the schools to make more room for art teachers. Currently, children at most elementary schools spend about 45 minutes a week in art class.
Art teachers see almost every child in the schools, regardless of grade level.
Arts education in Hillsborough elementary schools began in 1989. At the time, many teachers used carts until schools made classroom space available. I wasn't exactly a happy camper. The Legislature has ordered the elimination of the portables, which must be retrofitted to new codes and made to withstand strong winds. Many of the buildings that were built before 1993 will be destroyed, sold or given to charity, said Vince Sussman, the county's general director of resource management.