Here in Texas, where the tiniest details of the public education curriculum are decided not by educators, but the state legislature, lawmakers are debating the current one-credit fine arts graduation requirement for Texas high school students. On Monday, May 18, the House refused to accept Senate amendments that specified the one-credit high school fine arts graduation requirement and the middle school fine arts requirement, so there's a wrangle. We, the arts community, are supposed to put in a yap for art to our state representatives: Rep Rob Eissler (The Woodlands) (512) 463-0797; Rep Scott Hockberg (Houston) (512) 463-0492; Rep. Harold Dutton (Houston)(512) 463-0510; Rep. Michael Villarreal (San Antonio)(512) 463-0532; Rep. Jim Keffer (Eastland)(512) 463-0656. Apparently, aside from being good for the soul and improving math scores, art is threatened by a mandate for P.E.!
