-Wording has been changed for clarification purposes-

The IN School Board of Education is currently discussing proposals to change the structure of the Core 40 and Honors diplomas in the state of Indiana. In these proposals, students who wish to pursue an Honors diploma or an equivalent diploma will be limited in their flexibility to take fine arts courses throughout high school. Due to increased requirements for career and college readiness, the flexibility allowed for students to explore the arts will be greatly reduced making it nearly impossible for a student to be able to pursue both an honors diploma and have a significant involvement in the arts. This petition will be sent to the IN School Board in hopes of changing their minds about these changes.

From the Indiana Music Education Association Website:

"The Fine Arts ‘option’ is no longer a requirement under this proposal, and is the least attainable concentration for the new Honors Diploma, being tied in with 6 credit hours of world language, leaving only one credit for the arts. Further, the other tracks for an Honors Diploma contain base requirements that most students will take anyway to get into college. These guidelines do not encourage students to participate in fine arts — in fact, it dissuades them from participating due to the limited way music and arts may be taken...

We ask that the new Diploma requirements provide a measure of flexibility so that students and their parents can make educated decisions about what classes they take beyond the ‘core’, giving them the flexibility to participate in music and fine arts for all 4 years of their High School Careers, if they actively choose to." -Indiana Music Education Association

I am intelligent. I am a musician. I am an artist. I am a parent. I am an educator. I am a person who does not want to live in a world where one cannot be academic and creative. I oppose this proposal.