Thread by @DattaBari

I fully support the idea that every child should have the right to learn a musical instrument, but unless you've worked in state schools, with respect, you don't know how complicated this is. It's not as simple as just supplying musical instruments to all children. 1/9

I worked in London Borough of Newham where there is a scheme to offer free instrumental lessons to children on Free School Meals. Excellent scheme, highly commended. HOWEVER. Many who were eligible didn’t want to take up or weren’t able to engage and benefit if they did. 2/9

This is because inequality makes practice and engagement next to impossible. If your mum works nights and sleeps in the afternoon/evening, you can’t practice. If you live in a 3 bed house with 5 other people, your practice is not welcome. 3/9

If you need to do chores to help your parents sustain your family, you don’t have time to practice and also complete your homework. Your parents might not approve, might discourage you from making noise, especially if there’s no space or cultural precedent for supporting you. 4/9

Example: Saw a bright Y7 kid receiving violin lessons go to leave her instrument in the music room over the w/e. Asked her if she’d need it to practice and she said “I don’t want that noisy thing at home”. Clearly something parents said to her. And fair enough. 5/9

I believe all children should have the opportunity not just to have music lessons but also to be able to fully engage with them and enjoy them. The two don’t automatically come hand in hand for many young people. 6/9

If you want children to benefit from musical experiences, support social welfare reforms, support improved pay and support for all teachers, support overarching educational reform, support housing initiatives. These need to come hand in hand with music provision for all 7/9

If you want children to benefit from musical experiences, support equality and access in arts higher education so that all students have access to well qualified music teachers who are appropriately compensated and motivated to commit to stay working in schools. 8/9

If you are imagining that working class children have the same lives as middle class children but minus the instruments you are wrong. This is about so much more than just throwing instruments at primary schools and we must be clear about that, every step of the way. 9/9

#everychildamusician #SupportTheArtsUK #housingreform #welfarereform #educationalreform #fairpay