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Coloring books take away the opportunity for the children to show their
interpretation of the world. To create a coloring book picture is to conform
to the adult version of the way the world is. Thus, coloring books are
obstacles to artistic development. They prevent children from expressing
themselves creatively, deny parents the opportunity to delve into the psyche
of their children, and stifle the creation of original art." (Jeff Passe
"Throw Away Those Coloring Books" Mothering, Winter 1986)
"There is general agreement that coloring books are detrimental to
children's creative expression. These books usually have an outline of some
form or other, such as a cow, or a dog, or a complete landscape. The
youngster is supposed to color within the lines and some youngsters seem to
enjoy this activity. this enjoyment may be because these youngsters do not
have to think for themselves. the dependency upon someone else's outline if
an object makes the child much less confidant in his own means of
expression. We can decry the use of coloring books for children" (Creative
and Mental Growth, Lowenfeld & Brittian, 1970, page 49)
"By the time they have completed the first few pages of a coloring book, the
only thing they will have learned is that adults draws better, by adults
standards, than they do. At this point most children spurn their own
refreshing and expressive drawings." Striker & Kimmel, The Anti-Coloring
Book, Henry Holt)
"The child coloring-in us regressing to an earlier stage of development. He
is being forced into a possible retardation or disability which may show up
when he tries to learn manuscript lettering or cursive sorting. Teachers who
use coloring-in techniques seem almost to be working against themselves, and
their later attempts to teach writing skills." Robert J. Saunders, The
Connecticut Art Education Association.
National Art Education Association Presidential Proclamation
I do hereby proclaim, as president and elected representative of the
National Art Education Association, the following statement in support of
the preservation, development, and strengthening of art education programs
in the United States.
In light if the increasing usage of coloring books, color fill-in
workbooks activities, and other predesigned materials that block
originality, stifle imagination and creativity, and become a substitute for
valid and appropriate art education programs and procedures in elementary
education, I therefore , call for immediate deliberate and permanent
curtailment of the use of such methods, activities and procedures.
Furthermore, I appeal to and call upon the immediate and active support
of the National Art Education Association Board of Directors, The States
Assembly, all affiliate groups, the student chapter, the State Art Education
Associations and the membership at large, to seek, identify, and implement
strategies, plans, and efforts to discourage the use of such activities in
the schools of each state in our nation.
Dr. Kent Anderson, President
National Art Education Association
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