'Derelict' school becomes national leader by making a surprising subject compulsory.

[eppur_se_muova]

2. As someone who always excelled particularly in STEM subjects, I encourage this approach.

Our art and music teachers were, I believe, the most universally liked in our elementary school, and I never thought of Art and Music as 'classes' in the same way that other subjects were. I don't think most students did. They provided a chance to unwind and have fun -- much more important than recess, which was a chance for the more active and/or less academically oriented kids to have fun. Focusing too much on STEM subjects -- or really, an group of subjects -- leads to a lack of balance, which may very well be the most important component of early education in particular.

I regretted not having more challenging math and science courses later, when my interests had become more focused, but I don't think I would have liked elementary school if it had been so grimly focused on teaching 'useful' material, as determined by our future corporate overlords and their minions. There's a lot to be said for raising well-rounded citizens, even when it's hard to define or quantify. (Of course, if it can't be monetized, you can't expect our "leaders" to get excited about it.)