Looking for Balance in San Francisco Schools

Educators in the San Francisco Public Schools areStanford University agrees. He states that "The
frustrated by the lack of balance in education. Thearts are fundamental resources through which the
recent focus on mandatory testing has movedworld is viewed, meaning is created, and the mind
schools nationwide away from holistic education.developed." Arts education has a profound effect
And this can have serious consequences onon students, there's no doubt about it. San
children in the San Francisco Schools.Francisco Schools are finally acknowledging this,
Richard Florida in The Flight of the Creative Classand are acting on it
says, "What we really need in order to prepareIn March 2004, voters, in unprecedented
our children for the creative economy is anumbers, passed Proposition H. This proposition
comprehensive education. Something that takesearmarked tens of millions of city funds for
them from aesthetics to algebra withoutschools, including new funds for arts education.
pretending that the two are mutually exclusive."This had added further community and political
Aha!support to the cause of arts education equity and
Elliot W. Eisner, professor of education and art,access for all San Francisco Schools students.