Tulsa School for the Arts?

[carltonplace]

Lawmaker wants Tulsa arts school
By WORLD CAPITOL BUREAU
1/31/2007


OKLAHOMA CITY -- A state senator from Tulsa said Tuesday that he has filed legislation to create a state high school in Tulsa that would focus on the visual and performing arts.

Sen. James Williamson, R-Tulsa, said the school would be patterned after the successful Oklahoma School for Science and Math in Oklahoma City.

Williamson estimated that it would take $5 million a year in state funds to operate such a school, which would serve about 200 students.

Private funds would be used to build the school, he said.

It would be set up for high school juniors and seniors from across the state who want to pursue visual and performing arts.

Williamson said he envisions the school being in the downtown area, possibly adjacent to Oklahoma State University-Tulsa.

Williamson's proposal is contained in Senate Bill 928.

[Kiah]

I think this is a great idea. I used to work at OSSM, and I think it's a great model for developing amazing talent from accross the state. And, I think it would be just the kind of anchor downtown Tulsa needs.

Is this something TulsaNow could/should actively support?

[carltonplace]

^ Yes!

[pmcalk]

Terrific idea.  Much, much better than a school for culinary arts.  Really, do we need to be turning out 500 chefs every year?  Don't we already have an obesity problem?

[swake]

What a good idea

[sgrizzle]

Awesome!

Would be another incentive to push for the artist lofts and a whole arts district.

[TheArtist]

Finally.  It would be a good fit for Tulsa and if built near the OSU Tulsa Campus could offer some great synergies between the two, especially if OSU Tulsa were to begin offering an arts program of its own.

I know math, science, and computers are the big thing to promote educationally.  But there are some students, I include myself, whose aptitudes may not run at all in that direction, and whose talents are squashed.  We artists are people too lol, and we can be contributing citizens to the city and state, bringing wealth and richness of many kinds in many ways.

[RecycleMichael]

I think the culinary school spends quite a bit of time studying ways to make healthier meals. I have a good friend who son went through this training and it changed his life.

Having 500 well-trained nutrition-minded and inspired young people enter a workforce with potential for good-paying jobs is a good thing.

Back to the school for visual and performing arts...I agree it is something that we could organize support for.

Here is the information on State Senator Williamson including his contact information. We should first each contact him and let him know of our support.

http://www.oksenate.gov/Senators/biographies/williamson_bio.html

[tim huntzinger]

For the papa of a kid who wants to teach drama I know that this is kettle/blackness, but what a crappy idea (at first blush.)

We need technicians, doctors, engineers, and chemists, not more drama queens or self-styled artists.  We need another folk singer like a hole in the head.

If we can determine that extreme right-brainedness is a mental disorder then the school may serve a useful role in segregating the technicolor short bus kids from the other students.

Education is supposed to empower kids to ask and find the answers to tough questions: 'How can I make this work?' 'Why does this person get sick and this one does not?' 'When is the right time to add the compound to make this material stronger?' 'What can be done to save energy?'

The only questions and answers our current form of education is preparing our students to be familiar with is 'Do you want fries with that burger?'

[RecycleMichael]

Gee, Tim.

What is your training and what is your occupation?

[tim huntzinger]

What other industry would loan an 18 year old up to $100K when that kid has no clear idea what he will spend it on?

All the while the universities are able to dish out underwater basket weaving classes at the same rate per hour as math or chemistry classes, which often waste one or two semesters rehashing what should have been taught in high school.

True or Fales: classes taken at TCC will not transfer to OSU or OU if said classes were in the student's major.

[sgrizzle]

Keep in mind that "Art" doesn't just mean "Dot on Canvas" or "Poop in Jar." Decorative paints styles (faux painting and murals) are more popular than ever. I have done such in both of my children's rooms. Animation is also more popular than ever, just ask Pixar and Dreamworks. Graphic Design is also very popular. The last few examples are very high-tech but you aren't going to prepare for at OSSM.

It's not like we're talking about making everyone in Tulsa go, what we are talking about is trying to keep a bit of culture alive and not limiting our career choices to computer engineer  or fry cook.

[tim huntzinger]

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.  If we do not want more people in math and sciences than open a school that emphasizes the opposite.

If we want fewer doctors and nurses by all means encourage kids to be sketch artists.  We have a real crisis in education and this move is part of the problem, not part of the solution.

If we want inventors and innovators and to achieve scientific supremacy over our nation's economic competitors this is exactly the wrong way to go.

Republicans, where are you to defend your boy's legislation?

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by tim huntzinger

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.  If we do not want more people in math and sciences than open a school that emphasizes the opposite.

If we want fewer doctors and nurses by all means encourage kids to be sketch artists.  We have a real crisis in education and this move is part of the problem, not part of the solution.

If we want inventors and innovators and to achieve scientific supremacy over our nation's economic competitors this is exactly the wrong way to go.

Republicans, where are you to defend your boy's legislation?

Good grief!  Lighten up guy.  Not every young person has the aptitude or desire to become a chemist, doctor, or engineer.  The state funds a school in OKC for math/science concentrations, why should we not fund a school for kids with promising talents in visual and performing arts?  It might as well be in Tulsa and I think it would be a wonderful, welcome addition.

One state school for 200 juniors and seniors with proven potential arts talents is not going to doom our future.  Life is not all about math and science; the arts are a giant contributor to quality of life.  I am sure competition for admission would be very strong, and the admitting panel would only accept the most talented kids with real potential, the ones most likely to have a future successful career in the arts.

I believe the doctor/nurse shortages are not due to lack of interested, educated people, they are due to a totally screwed up health care system run by big business and insurance companies.

[tim huntzinger]

This is a solution to a non-existent problem.  There is no lack of starving artists, effusive drama queens, or interpretive dancers.