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Visual arts needs equal support

To the editor:

It is not wrong for those who are interested in what have recently been started to be called, in a ridiculous gimmick, “STEM” fields, to be concerned about coming state cuts. And for this to be explained by the meaningless jargon of “rebranding” hardly justifies them.

Yet where was the same level of support for the visual arts? There is no reason, outside of recent fad or an obsession with high technologies serving no real purpose and nothing but themselves, why science and mathematics should be placed above painting, sculpture and drawing. It is not necessary to support Michigan’s cuts or to ignore the damage they may cause to advocate that a similar strong enforcement for the arts should already be in place. Michigan’s economic strength and its spirit also live in and are advanced by what students learn about art.

Those who do not support this either have no argument or they have not made it. While they may expect that certain things should be accepted without comment, I have never heard an explanation, cogent or otherwise, of why this important education is being starved. It is certainly an excusable outlook to support funding for both arts and sciences at the same level.

Daniel Boyer

New York

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