Why should the jocks get all the breaks again?

Once again the government is putting the arts below the importance of sports. It has to stop and we are the only ones that can do it!

This from Arts News Canada http://www.artsnews.ca  for your consideration:

Someone has started a petition against the federal government limiting the so-called "soccer mom" tax credit to only sports activities and demands that *all enrichment activities in which parents enroll their children are included* . 

I don't know the person who started it, but text of the petition reads in part, *"The implicit assumption is that involvement in traditional sports has a higher value than taking piano or dance lessons, taking classes in the visual and dramatic arts, singing in a youth choir or taking part in debating or chess clubs. This is unsupportable in fact and undemocratic in its effects.*

*Parents who choose to spend their money on developing the aesthetic, cultural and artistic gifts of their children should not be discriminated against in favour of parents who choose to support their children’s’ athletic abilities."*

Why should the jocks get all the breaks again? 

You can go here to sign the petition:

http://www.petitiononline.com/dbs201bl

Comments

[Annonymous]

Here are a few of my thoughts.

I just feel that sometimes we jump on bandwagons too quickly without looking at the other sides - and when it involves the government - and something that just might become a law - I think we need to consider all of the implications.

Firstly, someone (ie. the government) would have to establish exactly what it is that constitutes a music teacher and reaching a national consensus on that issue is hardly feasible. The music teaching 'industry' functions all over the world without any real monitoring. Some would argue that's a bad thing and that it should be regulated because heaven knows there are countless people teaching who are 'unqualified' in terms of credentials, experience and expertise. However, the system muddles on; and it probably does so, because monitoring or policing private music instruction would be a daunting undertaking.

But for sure, the government would not be willing to give tax credits to anyone who said they had paid for 'piano lessons'. All I see is a new world of fabrications of who is teaching whom, who is collecting payment from whom and an endless paperwork trail for a lot of non-existent music lessons. Keeping it honest would be impossible. And to that may I add, silently and without judgement, that a good deal of teaching income never makes it to a tax return. Inevitably, all teachers would have to become more accountable in that area and for many, it would just no longer be worth it. That alone could cause a greater loss of talent or backfire on the government as more and more teachers go further underground. It is just not the same as signing up for soccer through your local Parks and Recreation Department.

In my opinion we should stay away from trying to be included with this particular proposal which intends, quite rightly, to get kids physically moving for the sake of good health. Instead, we should maintain a separate and unique focus. As for positive things the government could offer to support the arts - the list is endless and that is where we should unite and make changes.

Sincerely,
Annonymous