- A Resolution Affirming the
Value of Music
(The McIntosh Resolution, H.CON.RES.
266)
- Source: AMC Music News, American Music
Conference
-
- On March 8, 2000, leading advocates for school music
- education and some of the country's best-loved musical
- artists were in the nation's capitol, where
Representative
- David McIntosh (R-Ind.) introduced a concurrent
- resolution in support of music education for children
- everywhere.
-
- Flanked by renowned singer/songwriters Michael
- McDonald and James Taylor at a press conference in the
- Rayburn House Office Building, NAMM-International
- Music Products Association President and CEO Larry
- Linkin joined National Association for Music Education
- Executive Director Dr. John Mahlmann and VH1
- President John Sykes in thanking Rep. McIntosh and
- co-sponsor Rep. Bob Clement (D-Tenn.) for their support
- of music education.
-
- "People all over the country are waking up to the vital
- role music plays in a young person's development, but
- grass-roots efforts aren't always enough," Linkin said.
- "There's a role for the federal government to play in
this
- struggle, and I'm very grateful to Representatives
McIntosh
- and Clement for taking an important step in that
direction."
-
- In addition to the press conference, members of the music
- education delegation spent the day in one-on-one meetings
- with key members of Congress.
-
- The McIntosh resolution, H.CON.RES. 266, cites the
- "growing body of scientific research" that links music
- education to improved spatial-temporal reasoning and
- math performance, the evidence that music helps keep
- at-risk students in school, and increased SAT scores
among
- music students. If the resolution is adopted by the House
- and Senate, it will become the official "sense of the
- Congress" that music education enhances intellectual
- development, fosters artistic and social success, and
enriches
- the academic environment for children of all ages.
-
- "Thanks to Congressman McIntosh, the value of music
- education is poised to become part of the public record,
and
- Congress itself will be on board with our efforts to
bring
- music into every child's life," Sykes said.
-
- According to Mahlmann, music should be part of every
- child's core curriculum, not a frill. "There is more
evidence
- every day that music education has a beneficial ripple
- effect through the rest of a child's academic and social
life,"
- he said. "Music shouldn't be any more optional than
- English or math. Making that a reality will be much
easier
- if the people here on Capitol Hill are behind us."
-
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