Perhaps that isn't the best title, but it will do. Really the question is about art students that have to take remedial math. First, let it be known that I like to try and keep up with news about Louisiana and higher education. Why? Because I want to be the first to know if they are going to cancel our physics program. You have to stay alert.
So I stumble on this article about remedial education. In case it wasn't clear, some students enroll in college but are not quite ready for college-level math. Let me quote the part that set me off:
Art students don't need math. You heard it hear here first. Really, who needs math? Shouldn't art majors JUST take art then?
Ok, I have said it before. The university is not a worker factory. If it is a factory for anything, it is a human factory. Let me just leave you with two main thoughts.
Art Only School
Suppose there was an art only school. All art all the time. Bring your paintbrush and pencils. Would there be lots of stuff to do? Sure, there are many things to learn in art. But take a look at this picture.
This is Three Musicians by Pablo Picasso. It is an example of the cubism art style. Do you think Picasso was taught this as part of his art training? Perhaps it was from his Cubismology 332 course he took. No. It was created by Picasso and others. How do you create new and cool things if they aren't taught in school? Hmmmmm.....great question. How about we treat education not as learning certain skills that you will later use but rather learning a whole bunch of things that maybe later you can connect. Maybe Picasso's understanding of math helped him think about things in a different way. (I am just speculating here. I don't know much about Picasso's history.)
Math is Art
This is a video from Vi Hart.
Is this an example of math, or art? Choose quick. It can only be one of the two, right? Wrong.
Conclusion
Universities should not eliminate the math requirement for all degrees. They also should not eliminate the art requirement.
