From Lindsey Christ at NY1:
According to City Comptroller Scott Stringer, one out of every seven middle and high schools in the city are without an arts teacher, even though they are required by state law. When you add in elementary schools, the number becomes even higher, one out of five. More than 40 percent of those schools are clustered in either Central Brooklyn or the South Bronx.
"I mean, I wish I had a teacher. I wish," said student Isaiah Fuentes. "I could spend my time there, instead of, you know, walking the hallways. You could go in there and, you know, actually learn something. "
Now, thanks to the city budget agreed to last week, there's an additional $23 million for school arts funding. Now, advocates say, it's up to the city to use it effectively.