Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
First Floor, State Capitol
Sacramento CA 95814

Dear Governor Schwarzenegger:

California’s budget crisis threatens our future. Our future includes the children in the State of California. They are powerless in the struggle to improve their education. It is up to us to preserve their right to quality education. Every year, California’s budget woes have fallen on its schools. In California, Education is the first to lose funding. These cuts in funding reduce the quality of education for California’s students. Such severe cuts leave students at a tremendous loss. These cuts affect all aspects of education, most immediately, the Arts.
THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.
We, the undersigned urge you to allocate funding for art programs in education. The Arts strongly support the academic success of all students. The Arts are essential to the cultural and educational needs of our communities. Students in artistic programs and their teachers can only benefit from such programs. When given the opportunity to receive funds and participate in artistic programs, students will show that they can improve their chances of being academically successful with the appropriate resources and tools. In addition to the improvement of academic achievement, Arts programs provide rehabilitation to underserved youth and creative outlets for the enrichment of California’s future. Please give them that opportunity! Please include artistic programs in your new education budget.

As the Governor of California, you must change California's budgeting priorities. Cutting art, music and dance programs in California's public schools is NOT going to resolve the deficit. Preserve the Arts in Education



Sincerely,