TV mom, NBA star deliver petitions in support of arts education in public schools

Education secretary receives arts petitions

WASHINGTON — One of America’s favorite TV moms teamed up with an NBA legend and an elementary school band on Thursday to press the Obama administration to ensure that arts and music programs don’t fall victim to the sour economy.

“I personally know as we all do, how important music is as part of a full education,” said Florence Henderson, who portrayed Carol Brady on the TV series “The Brady Bunch.” ”If I hadn’t had it as a child, I would be one of those that would have been left behind.”

Henderson presented Education Secretary Arne Duncan with petitions bearing more than 120,000 signatures during a rally outside the Education Department. The boxes of petitions were stacked high off the ground and towered over 7-foot-2 inch Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the former Los Angeles Lakers center who said he appreciates what music does for children because his father was a jazz musician.

The rally was sponsored by the non-profit group MENC: The National Association of Music Education as part of its effort to urge federal lawmakers to provide the funds needed to make music and arts mandatory core subjects for all public school students.

Henderson and Abdul-Jabbar were joined by syndicated cartoonist Tom Batiuk and Mrs. America 2009 Maureen McDonald.

“It’s important to me that we give our students a reason to be excited to come to school everyday,” Duncan said. “The only way that happens is if children have the exposure to a broad range of activities, and music is a huge, huge piece of that. What worries me the most is that children who often need the most access often have the least. “

The stars were out, but the student performers stole the show. Drum Corps International from Toledo, Ohio came in with a bang and the “Rockin’ Bulldogs,” an after-school rock band from P.S. 83 elementary school in New York, had heads bobbing.

The face of Sal Sferruzza, 12, lit up when he talked about playing the guitar for P.S. 83. He has only been playing for a year, he said, but he vows to keep at it.

You just make up new stuff, learn new songs and it’s just awesome,” said Sferruzza. “I’m going to play until I break both my hands and I can’t play anymore.”

Quiana Criales, 12, who sings for the “Rockin’ Bulldogs,” said her music drives her to do well in school.

“There are so many kids with so much talent and they’re not allowed to experience people watching them, and actually practicing, and showing everybody that you can do something,” said Criales.

Budget cuts have forced schools to cut spending and often music and arts programs are among the first to go. Some critics believe the 2002 No Child Left Behind law, which is currently up for reauthorization, is to blame even though it recognizes music programs as core subjects.

A recent nationwide survey by the National Assessment of Educational Progress showed arts education was declining even before the recession began to eat away at school budgets. That in itself is a shame, said Richard Giannotti, 49, a general music and band teacher for P.S. 83 for five years.

As he summed it up:

“It gives them an insight into something else, culture, turns them on to things that they probably wouldn’t be involved in and it’s nice, keeps them off the street, keeps them safe, and keeps them interested and involved, and that’s what we want.”