Erik,
Your OP is certainly worthwhile and Czarivey's response is what it is. I agree that making music education available to public school students is valuable - for pretty much the reasons that you state. Will that type of exposure create a musical "great" where one would otherwise not have been? Who knows? (Other than Czarivey, I guess.).
Broader cultural education is IMO a good idea that's getting lost in the cost cutting pressures of the modern world. As you note, that means that it's up to those of us who care to provide support. And I, along with many others in our community, do just that. Through pretty extensive fund raising activities for our school system, a fairly big group of active parents has allowed the school to provide music, art, and other programs that were not otherwise doable within the schools' budgets.
Your OP is certainly worthwhile and Czarivey's response is what it is. I agree that making music education available to public school students is valuable - for pretty much the reasons that you state. Will that type of exposure create a musical "great" where one would otherwise not have been? Who knows? (Other than Czarivey, I guess.).
Broader cultural education is IMO a good idea that's getting lost in the cost cutting pressures of the modern world. As you note, that means that it's up to those of us who care to provide support. And I, along with many others in our community, do just that. Through pretty extensive fund raising activities for our school system, a fairly big group of active parents has allowed the school to provide music, art, and other programs that were not otherwise doable within the schools' budgets.