Newspaper Column: Marginalizing Arts in the Schools

Abstract

The revolution in Virginia public schools brought about by uniform Standards of Learning (SOL) testing has swept school administrators, principals and teachers into a frenzy over determined efforts for “remediation”. That simply means preparing students to do better next year and in years to come. Judgment day comes in 2006-7 when any school whose students achieve less than a 70% passing rate loses accreditation. In other words, the jobs of all administrators, principals and teachers are on the line.