Huntsville City Schools has been under a desegregation order since the 1960s and the Huntsville City School board has decided to take action. A proposed consent order has been issued to include new zoning, and "limitations" on the fine arts programs in Huntsville City Schools. The magnet school, Lee High school, is being protected to ensure that Lee is at the top of the performing arts programs. Such programs in other Huntsville City Schools, are deemed a threat to Lee High School's success.
In a high school such as Grissom, much of its culture and tradition is influenced by the fine arts. Virgil I Grissom High School has always been known for its outstanding academics and fine arts programs. The community and others nearby know of Grissom's extremely talented and professional students.
Arts education is extremely important to school curriculum because it teaches students motor skills, language development, decision making, visual learning, inventiveness, cultural awareness, and improved academic performance. With the "limiting" of the arts programs, the school board and the U.S. Department of Justice are undermining students' opportunities and education. There is more to making a student a productive citizen of the community than teaching them mathematics and literature. A student should be well rounded. As Richard W, Riley, Former US Secretary of Education says, “I believe arts education in music, theater, dance, and the visual arts is one of the most creative ways we have to find the gold that is buried just beneath the surface. They (children) have an enthusiasm for life a spark of creativity, and vivid imaginations that need training – training that prepares them to become confident young men and women.”
