In Upper Darby some 1,000 parents and students showed up to protest school budget cuts in arts and music education.

Some of the organizers of this campaign are calling the cuts part of a "war on children." The ogres who run the district obviously hate kids. Why else would they cut such essential programs that help young people stay out of prison?

That's right, prison!

From the story:

Bill Caughlan, of Drexel Hill, whose children are enrolled at Garrettford Elementary, never attended a school board meeting before and joined the throng outside the auditorium prior to the meeting.

“My daughter Emma (11) loves music,” Caughlan said. “And it doesn’t make sense to take away foreign language and technology at the middle schools. My concern is if they cut them from the schools, later on we’ll pay for it with fighting crime.”

That's right. If poor little Emma doesn't get music instruction in school she's likely to start holding up convenience stores. Worse, she may even take up smoking.

Back on planet earth, school officials actually have to set priorities and budget for them. When tens of millions of school dollars are being paid to retired teachers and current ones get gold-plated health benefits, there is less money available for kids who want to learn how to play the trombone.

Kids, you want to learn how to draw? To paint? To sculpt? Ask your parents for pen and paper, an easel, a kiln for your birthday. Google an instructional video on You Tube. And take up smoking. All of the cooler artists smoke these days. But don't hold-up any convenience stores. It costs money to put you in jail.

UPDATE: Plus, its seems musical ability, appreciation and/or being a public school teacher don't necessarily go hand in hand with being a responsible parent.

RIDLEY TOWNSHIP — A Rutledge father is facing a misdemeanor child endangerment offense after allegedly leaving his 3-year-old son alone in the car while he and his 4-year-old were inside a bar listening to a band...

Keith Charles Barnes, 50, of the 100 block of Rutledge Avenue, reportedly told police he had both of his young sons inside the bar Saturday listening to “Blackthorn.” But when the youngest began acting up, documents state he “took him outside and locked him in the vehicle...”

“Barnes failed to see the severity of the situation as he kept saying that he is a musician, and Blackthorn is a national act,” the affidavit states. Barnes also indicated to police at the scene that he was a teacher in the Haverford School District, authorities said Tuesday night.

When speaking with Barnes Saturday night, police detected an odor of alcohol, the affidavit states. Back at the station, his blood alcohol content (BAC) registered 0.06 on a portable breath test.