Letters & Opinion
Vote “yes” on November 3rd!
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, residents of Stevens Point will vote on a referendum for the Stevens Point Area School District. This referendum will determine whether or not the district can raise additional funding by increasing tax revenues. If it fails, the district will undertake cost-cutting measures. Among the measures recommended by the district superintendent are eliminating elementary school band, chorus and orchestra, eliminating all K-8 activities and interscholastic athletics and letting go of 15 elementary and 27 secondary teachers.
These measures will drastically impact the education of local children. Studies have consistently proven the value of music and athletics as integral components of children’s education. Participation in music teaches children discipline, perseverance, creativity, reasoning skills, cooperation and self-expression. In addition, involvement in music enhances children’s performance in academic areas. Students in Japan, Hungary and the Netherlands receive required musical instruction throughout elementary and middle school, and their scores on international math and science exams surpass most other nations, including the United States. Athletics likewise enrich children’s character and academic development. Children who participate in athletics benefit from increased motivation and self-esteem, as well as improved concentration, coordination, decision making and social skills. A 2002 study also discovered that students in schools with high academic performance had higher physical activity levels than students in schools with lower performance.
In order for students to fully reap the benefits of participating in music and athletics, they must become involved in such activities at an early age. The musical brain is 80 percent mature by the age of ten, and studies have shown the heightened impact of music on academics in students’ early years. For example, in a 1998 study, college students who began studying music before the age of twelve performed better than those who had no early musical training on a verbal memory test. With athletics, early activity plays a crucial role in developing the muscles used during adolescence or adulthood. If the Stevens Point referendum fails, students will miss out on the most critical periods of musical and athletic development.
Even if you do not know any students in the Stevens Point Area School District, please vote “yes” for the referendum on Nov. 3. The children of this district may someday teach your children or be your doctors, lawyers or colleagues. They will be best-equipped for their future roles in society if voters elect to provide them with a complete education including musical and athletic instruction. Your vote can make a difference. In the past, the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point vote has helped swing local elections in favor of education. For any information about registering to vote or polling locations, please visit the following Web site: http://stevenspoint.com/vote/vote.html
Please take a moment to look back to your elementary or middle school days and imagine how different your schooling would have been without music and athletic programs. I hope this reflection will encourage you to vote “yes” for local students on Nov. 3!
