Archives for February 2009

That's right, riots in the streets. For what reason, you may ask?The law that gives the NYC Mayor control over the NYC public schools is set to expire this spring unless renewed by the State Legislature. While mayoral control of schools is nothing new, it is rare for there to be such a system of governance without a functioning school board, which for all practical purposes … [Read more...] about Mayor Bloomberg Predicts Riots in the Streets

According to Norma Munn, head of the New York City Arts Coalition, this past Tuesday, Governor David Paterson's mid-year cut to the New York State Council on the Arts was approved.I blogged twice about this over the past few months, in case you want to take a look in the archives. Nevertheless, what we have here is a $7 million mid-year cut, on top of an already implemented 10% … [Read more...] about Mid-Year Cuts to NYSCA Approved: Bad News; Bad Government

Click here to take a look at what Senator Tom Coburn is up to.Coburn's fifth amendment to the Stimulus Bill isn't exactly an ad hominen objection to the arts in the bill, more precisely it reads: "5. No funds shall be used for casinos, aquariums, zoos, museums, golf courses, or swimming pools (mirror House language)."Click here to see what the Performing Arts Alliance is … [Read more...] about Senate Opposition to Arts in the Stimulus Bill

This past Monday, First Lady Michelle Obama was introduced to the staff of the United States Department of Education, by Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan.Click here for the transcript and videoThe highlights of her presentation are as follows:"So, the Department of Education is going to be at the forefront of many of the things that we have to do in this administration, and … [Read more...] about Michelle Obama at the USDOE: The Themes of an Education Agenda

A giant of classical music died this week: Lukas Foss. Was he as well known as Leonard Bernstein or Aaron Copland? No, I am sorry to say. There's something about the way classical music is changing, where it seems that only the most marquee names are remembered. That's a shame. Foss was a powerhouse of a talent: conductor, composer, pianist. The glory days of the Milwaukee … [Read more...] about On the Death of Lukas Foss