The following is the response of John Edwards’ Presidential campaign, the first we have received from the Presidential candidates, to my letter regarding music education and arts in the schools. I am heartened by the very specific and forceful answers the Edwards campaign gave.
Moreover, this letter captures the imagination of why music and the arts are
so important to our country. It also reiterates his strong support for public
television, which is essential to our nation.--Roger Williams
--------
Dear Roger,Thank you for writing John Edwards about the arts. He appreciates that you took the time to share your thoughts and concerns. Hearing from people all over the country about the issues important to them strengthens our campaign. The arts lift our spirits, elevate our thoughts, and draw us closer together. John Edwards believes that there is a national role in nurturing painters, writers, poets, musicians, theatre artists and other performing artists. We must preserve America's precious cultural heritage by supporting museums and performance spaces for theatre, dance and music. The arts also play an important role in our education system: arts in schools can improve reading and math, foster self-expression and individual thought, and improve socializing among children. John Edwards is proud of his record of supporting the arts. When he Was in the Senate, he fought to save the National Endowment for the Arts(NEA) from Republican efforts to eliminate it entirely. Americans for the Arts, a national nonprofit organization that advocates for the arts, gave him a 100-percent perfect score on their issues in 2000.As a senator from North Carolina, he helped programs in his home state. He obtained grants for our State Arts Council to finance dozens of Small arts organizations across the state. He also helped secure funding for the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and the North Carolina Symphony as well as classroom instruction at the North Carolina School of the Arts.As president, John Edwards will support the NEA and the National Endowment for the Humanities. He will invest in public broadcasting, and he will protect art and music education in our schools and after-school programs.Again, thank you for sharing your ideas with the campaign. Sincerely,
The Edwards Team
