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Why Parents and Teachers Matter

My class this week will debate whether schools should value athletics over the fine arts, or vise versa. When first introduced to it, I thought the question was an easy one. I remember hearing of studies that showed the academic benefits of music, and so I concluded without much additional thought that schools should prefer the arts.

At first glance, I source mined (not purposely) to prove my conclusion; and alas, I did find evidence that the arts are valuable: a doctor from the University of Maryland found that listening to joyful music may increase cardiovascular health. Blood vessels, he found, opened when volunteers of the study listened to enjoyable music, which improved blood flow. At the same time, other studies have found that the practice of music increases abstract reasoning (though this has not been conclusively proven). It seemed obvious that schools should choose the arts.

As I looked into the other side of the topic, however, I remembered learning about the benefits of organized sports for at-risk youth. Although it cannot be proven that organized sports prevent youth crime, there were studies that offered evidence. Kansas City police reported in the mid 1990s, for instance, that midnight basketball programs reduced youth crime by one- to two-thirds; and there was a reduction of crime among young girls after a running program for them began. Whether or not the programs actually caused the reduction in crime, no one can yet say for sure; but I think the evidence shows what seems intuitive: when kids are busy doing something safe and organized, they can't get in trouble for doing something unsafe and disorganized.

Regardless of which disciplines are more important in the educational system, something stuck out that is worth mentioning. Common to youths' needs in both the arts and in athletics was the presence of an adult. In the music study, the benefits to the child substantially increased with an increase in parental involvement; while one of the factors in sports programs that may have contributed to their improved way of life was the existence of an adult figure (coach, etc.). If this is true, it shows that whatever is more valuable (if that conclusion can even be made), a stable adult presence is of great value to youth. It should be encouraging to teachers and parents who are daily involved with youth that their efforts are not in vain.

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