Maury County school board approves funds for struggling visual art classes
As a new year begins, the Maury County Public Schools Board of Education is releasing funds to support visual art programs across the school district.
Unanimously, the board approved during its monthly meeting, a $48,000 budget amendment that will be used to purchase visual art supplies for the county’s more than 20 school campuses.
The approved funds, taken from the district’s fund balance, or more than $2 million in savings, will provide art classes across the district with supplies for the current academic year.
Whitney Herrington, a visual arts teacher at Mt. Pleasant High School and celebrated muralist, spoke before the board prior to the vote, sharing the difficulties she and other art educators have faced this school year.
“In August, my kids came walking in through the door, and I had no money,” Herrington said. “How can I teach my students if I have nothing to teach them with? That doesn’t just go for me, that goes for everyone.”
The school board approved the budget amendment after a discussion last month prompted school board leaders to encourage school administrators to build a detailed long-term plan for the program.
More: Late funding for art supplies sparks criticism about long-term planning at Maury district
Students enrolled at MCPS have a choice to pursue either music or visual art.
Before approving the funds, board members considered the one-time purchase a short-term solution to the problem that will require additional attention in the future.
“We are funding it as an afterthought,” said David Moore, who represents District 5 on the school board. “An underfunded afterthought. Not that I want to withhold money. I want to do it right, and I want to do it right the first time.”
Moore initially recommended that the board hold off on any spending and wait for administrators to establish a more detailed roadmap for spending on the matter.
More: Mt. Pleasant Commission recognizes work of student artists
School board member Chad Howell, District 9, shared the view that the amount might not make a significant impact on the programs, calculating that the funds would provide less than $4 for each student in the district.
Board member Will Sims, District 7, called for the board to move forward to offer immediate support to the educators and their pupils.
District administrators clarified that the calculation does not take into account that only a portion of students choose to pursue visual art classes.
“Let’s go ahead and get some supplies in the students' and teachers' hands tonight, [determine their needs] and then go from there,” Sims told his fellow board members.
Board member Wayne Lindsey, District 10, shared a sentiment that echoed both of his fellow board members.
“I would like to go ahead so they are not sitting there with nothing,” Lindsey said. “I would like to see a plan brought back.”
Michael Fulbright, chairman of the board, said that the move serves as a stepping stone.
"This is to start the process of getting this right," Fulbright said.
Reach Mike Christen at mchristen@c-dh.net. Follow him on Twitter at @MikeChristenCDH and on Instagram at @michaelmarco. Please consider supporting his work and that of other Daily Herald journalists by subscribing to the publication.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Maury County school board sends funds to art classes
