The dust hasn't settled on the Florida Legislature's conference committee's slash of the state's arts funding, but another and longer-term crisis has arisen for cultural interests.

Late Thursday afternoon, Florida Cultural Alliance president Sherron Long sent out an e-mail to the alliance network warning that a dangerous clause in Senate Bill 1914 hasn't been removed, a clause adding "practical arts" -- with an "or," not an "and" -- to the state's requirement that students have at least one credit hour of "fine or performing arts" study to graduate from high school.

It took 20 years of lobbying by arts advocates to get the fine arts cemented in the curriculum. The new language if adopted in conference would make it possible for schools to strip fine arts and performing arts from the curriculum -- "practical arts" being shop, auto mechanics and nursing, Long says.

The companion House Bill 7045 has the language arts advocates want. Time is short for backers to influence legislators, but efforts were still ongoing Monday the 28th to get "practical arts" removed or alter the language. Check out the details at the FLCA website including contact information on legislators.

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