PEORIA -- Journal Star arts critic Gary Panetta has an interesting column in the Aug. 23 newspaper.
But he doesn't push his idea where it ought to go in Peoria -- namely educating certain business types about the role of the artist and other professionals, and how they are not just workers to be hired and fired like those who turn widgets in factories. (Unions protect them if they're smart enough to unionize.)
Artists, including musicians and actors, as well as teachers at all levels are professionals, and should not be treated the way business managers mostly treat their employees.
At Peoria School District 150 we hear the call to make teachers adhere to an eight hour day at school. But teachers say they now work way more than eight hours -- they grade papers, read and research material related to their classrooms, and they do this at home, in the evenings, on weekends, as well as during brief prep periods at school.
Where is this demand coming from? From business types jealous of teachers who have a few brief weeks off during the summer? Many use this time to gain more education to improve their skills.
A sure way to destroy education is to demand a rigid schedule at work, leaving teachers too tired to pick up those papers and books at night. If they're held to an eight hour day, or more, they may as well work in business and make more money.
Even worse is the demand that artists and musicians stop being 'insubordinate' when they stand up for their own artistic vision against a bullying board member.
That's the story circulating about former Peoria Symphony music director/conductor David Commanday -- he was insubordinate when he stood up to the board over an artistic decision, and also refused to do more 'outreach' in the community.
I guess they would rather have him glad-handing at the service clubs than researching new music or practicing his own skills, since he is also a musician.
What folly. What ignorance about the role of professionals.
But when you look where business (including medicine) had led the nation in the last few years, it's obvious many of those in business know little about anything except how to squeeze money out of the naive and ignorant.
Let's hope the new National Arts Endowment chief, said to be a theater producer, has better sense and can educate the locals on the basics for artistic and professional achievement.
-- Elaine Hopkins
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