Further, while local school boards struggle to close ongoing budget gaps and meet new federal requirements, music continues to be cut in districts across the country.
[1] "When these programs are cut out of public schools, we're not simply depriving our children of music, but hindering the teaching of our nation's history and heritage," says MENC Executive Director John Mahlmann, "Learning patriotic songs helps our children form bonds with their communities and instills pride in the American ideals we all hold close to our hearts – freedom, liberty and equality."
The National Anthem Project Grand Finale events garnered more than 220 news stories, reaching 26 million people.
The day aims to promote the importance of music education and the Project by encouraging teachers, students, parents, and community members and leaders to participate in joint celebrations.
Events include singalongs and public statements of support for music education by local school administrators and elected officials.
More recently, Carlos Abril (2007) cautioned that most of the Project's efforts "propel absolutist views in which declared truths take a front seat to divergent understandings and discoveries" (p. 81).