Or are we afraid to talk about it? This article was originally published in the SWACDA magazine in September. It appears here in its more developed form.
Great article. The idea that we just simply live in a pure meritocratic world and you just need to be the best and the most qualified to have success is causing a lot of people to burn out when many now can’t even compete for even the most mediocre jobs in the field. And then there are far more examples of people who clearly got hired for reasons other than the purest merits.
How does the education system ethically set the best expectations while being honest about their selective applicability in the “real world”?
Dare I mention that when you talk about pay and merit, especially for those in the arts, it gets even dicier! Somehow adhering to the “starving artist“ ideology has become its own form of merit. I’ve seen more instances of people seemingly doubling down that kind of a mindset (or apathy?) compared to people expecting pay appropriate for their qualifications and experience. Inevitably, the level of quality will start to reflect the level of compensation.
I completely agree with the points made in this article. The discussion about balancing merit and equity in music education is incredibly important. Merit should absolutely be recognized, but as the author rightly points out, we cannot ignore the systemic barriers that affect access to opportunities. Talent and hard work should lead to success, but for many students, those factors are overshadowed by things like geography, financial resources, and lack of access to quality instruction, but success can still be accomplished.
The idea that a perfect meritocratic system exists is a fallacy. No system is truly free of external influences, and as much as we strive for fairness, we must recognize the invisible factors at play. Talent and effort are crucial, but they don't always guarantee success if students lack the same opportunities or access to quality education.
The argument for maintaining high standards while simultaneously addressing these inequities resonates with me. Lowering standards to level the playing field might seem like a solution, but it risks masking the real issues and failing to provide the necessary feedback about where improvements are truly needed. We need to focus on removing barriers and ensuring all students have the chance to develop the skills that will help them succeed.
This balanced approach is what will ultimately allow us to create a more inclusive, fair, and successful music education system. Thank you for sparking such an important conversation!
Great article. The idea that we just simply live in a pure meritocratic world and you just need to be the best and the most qualified to have success is causing a lot of people to burn out when many now can’t even compete for even the most mediocre jobs in the field. And then there are far more examples of people who clearly got hired for reasons other than the purest merits.
How does the education system ethically set the best expectations while being honest about their selective applicability in the “real world”?
Dare I mention that when you talk about pay and merit, especially for those in the arts, it gets even dicier! Somehow adhering to the “starving artist“ ideology has become its own form of merit. I’ve seen more instances of people seemingly doubling down that kind of a mindset (or apathy?) compared to people expecting pay appropriate for their qualifications and experience. Inevitably, the level of quality will start to reflect the level of compensation.
I completely agree with the points made in this article. The discussion about balancing merit and equity in music education is incredibly important. Merit should absolutely be recognized, but as the author rightly points out, we cannot ignore the systemic barriers that affect access to opportunities. Talent and hard work should lead to success, but for many students, those factors are overshadowed by things like geography, financial resources, and lack of access to quality instruction, but success can still be accomplished.
The idea that a perfect meritocratic system exists is a fallacy. No system is truly free of external influences, and as much as we strive for fairness, we must recognize the invisible factors at play. Talent and effort are crucial, but they don't always guarantee success if students lack the same opportunities or access to quality education.
The argument for maintaining high standards while simultaneously addressing these inequities resonates with me. Lowering standards to level the playing field might seem like a solution, but it risks masking the real issues and failing to provide the necessary feedback about where improvements are truly needed. We need to focus on removing barriers and ensuring all students have the chance to develop the skills that will help them succeed.
This balanced approach is what will ultimately allow us to create a more inclusive, fair, and successful music education system. Thank you for sparking such an important conversation!