These programs do cost money and that seems to be the main argument of opposing forces. Social development of students is just as important as academic skills. Without social skills, a child will not reach her full potential. She can be the smartest in her class, but if she lacks self esteem and the ability to interact socially with her peers, her full potential will be difficult to achieve. In this business minded world an individual's emotional being is sometimes disregarded.
Music can play an important role in the emotional development of children.
The ability to experience emotion upon hearing music is something all children should posses. Through musical instruction children are introduced to the feeling side of music and learn that they can express themselves quite well in a musical setting. This realization is ground breaking for some students, who have otherwise been at odds with self expression. Rhythms, melodies, and other musical ideas are perfect means of self discovery. A child is not likely to make an emotional connection to a math problem or a science experiment.