New Mexico Music Educators Association

ADVOCACY

4/18/08

• Advocacy: What You Can Do.
  Click on the support music web site http://www.supportmusic.com for more information and suggestions for what you can do in your district and community. We need your help.
   
• Advocacy and the Music Educator
  This position paper by MENC is an excellent paper which every music educator should read. Click on http://www.menc.org/about/view/advocacy and the music educator position statement to read this article.

3/5/08

• Advocate Against President Bush's Proposed Cuts to Arts Funding!
  Recently, President Bush sent his FY 2009 budget request to Congress, including yearly appropriations recommendations for the Department of Education's Arts in Education programs, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Office of Museum Services (OMS), and Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
  
  MENC wants you to know that the President has proposed substantial cuts to key arts programs. Specifically, for the eighth consecutive year, President Bush has asked Congress to eliminate funding for the Department of Education's Arts in Education programs which include such staples as model arts programs, teacher professional development and arts programs for at-risk youth. The President has also requested $16.3 million in FY 2009 cuts for the NEA (from $144.7 million to $128.4 million) as well as cuts lowering the NEH budget from $144.7 to $144.3 million.
  
  MENC encourages you to contact your Members of Congress to let them know that you do not condone these cuts. Congress has the power to set its own priorities and challenge President Bush's proposed funding levels, but your help will be needed.
  
  Make your voice heard by writing or calling your congressional representatives and urging them to increase funding for music education and the other arts by restoring designated monies for arts in education programs in the FY 2009 budget. MENC highly recommends that when writing, you add your own personal thoughts and stories about why music education is important to you and to your communities.
  
  Thank you for your continued support of music education! 

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