Our school will soon be launching a new performing arts academy. Today I learned that the students who will join this academy will satisfy their foreign language requirement by taking French. No choice, just French. After I learned all the other details about this program, the principal asked us to throw questions at her, tough ones, like the ones she was going to get at the parent meeting this evening. I decided to throw out the first pitch.
"Why French?" I asked.
"Because it's the language of The Arts," was her obviously-rehearsed reply. You could have heard a pin drop at that point. Then . . .
"Shakespeare wrote in English," I offered. Responses from other staff members included "Operas are in Italian," and "Some of the first plays were in Greek."
"Okay, but the people we've conferred with about this have suggested that French is the best language for students in this academy."
"Then say that," I replied. "But don't tell people that French is the language of The Arts, because it isn't."
I don't know how well the whole acad-- . . . you know what? Nevermind. I think that pretty much says it all.
Helpful hints, position essays, and useless blather from the Assistant Principal of a high school in Southern California. Posts here do not necessarily reflect the positions or views of the school or district with which he is employed.
So there.
So there.
See... if I were forced to choose one language for the arts I would go with Latin. A ton of the written vocal music, especially everything from the dawn of the Church to about 1200 AD was almost exclusively in Latin.
Of course, the idea of a "Language of the Arts" is ludicrous. Operas are written in all languages, and a majority of the composers from all nationalities use Italian when they give instructions in the sheet music)