"The Michigan Art Education Association represents more than 1200 art teachers, their schools and students statewide. The organization acknowledges the importance of a rigorous and balanced curriculum that includes the arts. The Michigan Merit Core Curriculum is a step toward a balanced education through its inclusion of no less than one credit of visual and performing arts for High School Graduation. In addition, we encourage alignment with the Goals 2000: Educate America Act. This federal mandate recognizes the arts as a core subject, equal in importance to Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Health, Physical Education, and World Languages."   More detail...