---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: School curricula that ignore the arts…"
description: "\"School curricula that ignore the arts produce highly educated Barbarians\" — Edward Albee"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/346/edward-albee-1684_art_school-curricula-that-ignore-the-arts-pr_18642.png"
---

#  School curricula that ignore the arts produce highly…

![“School curricula that ignore the arts produce highly educated Barbarians” quote by Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/346/edward-albee-1684_art_school-curricula-that-ignore-the-arts-pr_18642.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/346/edward-albee-1684_art_school-curricula-that-ignore-the-arts-pr_18642.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/346/edward-albee-1684_art_school-curricula-that-ignore-the-arts-pr_18642.png)

> “School curricula that ignore the arts produce highly educated Barbarians”

[Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

When education neglects artistic training, it yields technically skilled individuals lacking moral and aesthetic depth.

**In simple terms:** Neglecting arts harms holistic education.

Key Takeaway

Arts are essential for humane intellect.

Themes

education arts humanities culture civilization

Mood

concerned reflective critical

Type

aphor social commentary

When to use this quote

- curriculum design
- policy making
- school administration
- parental guidance

Key Concepts

holistic development critical thinking moral reasoning

Practical Applications

- integrate arts into core subjects
- advocate for arts funding

Questions to Reflect On

- How does artistic exposure shape ethical judgment?
- What are the societal costs of an arts‑deficient curriculum?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Barbarians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barbarians/) [Curricula Ignore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curricula-ignore-390062/) [Educated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educated/) [Educated Barbarians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educated-barbarians-390061/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Highly Educated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/highly-educated-390065/) [Ignore Arts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignore-arts-390063/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Produce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/produce/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School Curricula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-curricula-390064/)

## Related quotes

> [Our goal is to see Big History become a normal part of high school curricula. I'd love to see it being taught in lots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-christian/our-goal-is-to-see-big-history-become-a-normal-part-of-high-school/)

[David Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-christian/)

> [Highly educated bores are by far the worst; they know so much, in such fiendish detail, to be boring about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-kronenberger/highly-educated-bores-are-by-far-the-worst-they-know-so-much-in-such/)

[Louis Kronenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-kronenberger/)

> [I come from a tradition of Western culture, in which the ideal (my ideal) was the complex, dense, and 'cathedral-like' structure of the highly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-foreman/i-come-from-a-tradition-of-western-culture-in-which-the-ideal-my/)

[Richard Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-foreman/)

> [All men, however highly educated, retain some superstitious inklings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-men-however-highly-educated-retain-some-superstitious-inklings/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“the message the labor market is clearly sending is that it’s much easier to create value with highly educated workers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-brynjolfsson/the-message-the-labor-market-is-clearly-sending-is-that-it-s-much/)

[Erik Brynjolfsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-brynjolfsson/)

> [If you can attract highly educated people from other parts of the country and keep your own best and brightest, chances are the job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-cornett/if-you-can-attract-highly-educated-people-from-other-parts-of-the/)

[Mick Cornett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-cornett/)

> [Even though you're now highly educated, don't dismiss the advantage of dressing a little slutty for job interviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/even-though-you-re-now-highly-educated-don-t-dismiss-the-advantage-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“I am perplexed when I come upon people who are seemingly highly educated and trained to make best use if their minds--but when confronted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohd-asri-zainul-abidin/i-am-perplexed-when-i-come-upon-people-who-are-seemingly-highly/)

[Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohd-asri-zainul-abidin/)

> [Like many highly educated people, I didn't have much in the way of actual skills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-maarten-troost/like-many-highly-educated-people-i-didn-t-have-much-in-the-way-of/)

[J. Maarten Troost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-maarten-troost/)

> [Women have become so highly educated... that nothing should surprise us nowadays, except happy marriages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/women-have-become-so-highly-educated-that-nothing-should-surprise-us/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

> [“Basically, if the author is totally un-educated, then the text won't bring out his best. Normal, educated people always understand that. But here's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizaveta-mikhailichenko-yury-nesis/basically-if-the-author-is-totally-un-educated-then-the-text-won-t/)

[Elizaveta Mikhailichenko Yury Nesis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizaveta-mikhailichenko-yury-nesis/)

> [New York is a highly educated city. People who are educated generally go to college. People who go to college who are men love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-cowherd/new-york-is-a-highly-educated-city-people-who-are-educated-generally/)

[Colin Cowherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-cowherd/)

> [If your city's being populated by highly educated twentysomething s with choices, you're probably going to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-cornett/if-your-city-s-being-populated-by-highly-educated-twentysomething-s/)

[Mick Cornett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-cornett/)

> [Highly educated young people are tutored, taught and monitored in all aspects of their lives, except the most important, which is character building. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/highly-educated-young-people-are-tutored-taught-and-monitored-in-all/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [They're all so highly educated, you know. Education is a great shield against experience. It offers so much, ready-made and all from the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/they-re-all-so-highly-educated-you-know-education-is-a-great-shield/)

[Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/)

## More by Edward Albee

> [When a critic sets himself up as an arbiter of morality, a judge of the matter and not the manner of a work, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/when-a-critic-sets-himself-up-as-an-arbiter-of-morality-a-judge-of/)

[Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/)

> [When people don't like the way a play ends, they're likely to blame the play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/when-people-don-t-like-the-way-a-play-ends-they-re-likely-to-blame/)

[Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/)

> [In a democracy you cannot stop public access to that art that will most misinform the people. You cannot stop people from being misinformed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/in-a-democracy-you-cannot-stop-public-access-to-that-art-that-will/)

[Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/)

> [Creativity is magic. Don't examine it too closely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/creativity-is-magic-don-t-examine-it-too-closely/)

[Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/)

> [When people can't abide things as they are, when they can't abide the present, they do one of two things ... either they ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/when-people-can-t-abide-things-as-they-are-when-they-can-t-abide-the/)

[Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/)

> [“Lady, you can’t fuck a metaphor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/lady-you-can-t-fuck-a-metaphor/)

[Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/)

> [I write to find out what I'm talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/i-write-to-find-out-what-i-m-talking-about/)

[Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/)

> [I know playwrights who like to kid themselves into saying that their characters are so well formed that they just take over. They determine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/i-know-playwrights-who-like-to-kid-themselves-into-saying-that-their/)

[Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/)

> [The greatest problem with Irish Wolfhounds, though, is that they don't live very long: their great hearts give out. A good deal of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/the-greatest-problem-with-irish-wolfhounds-though-is-that-they-don-t/)

[Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/)

> [Dashed hopes and good intentions. Good, better, best, bested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/dashed-hopes-and-good-intentions-good-better-best-bested/)

[Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/)

> [Writing has got to be an act of discovery…I write to find out what I'm thinking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/writing-has-got-to-be-an-act-of-discovery-i-write-to-find-out-what-i/)

[Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/)

> [I'm back in fashion again for a while now. But I imagine that three or four years from now I'll be out again. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/i-m-back-in-fashion-again-for-a-while-now-but-i-imagine-that-three-or/)

[Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/)

> [What people really want in the theater is fantasy involvement and not reality involvement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/what-people-really-want-in-the-theater-is-fantasy-involvement-and-not/)

[Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/)

> [Art should never try to be popular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/art-should-never-try-to-be-popular/)

[Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/)

> [“Stevie: (Not listening) That you can do these two things... and not understand how it... SHATTERS THE GLASS!!?? How it cannot be dealt with-how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/stevie-not-listening-that-you-can-do-these-two-things-and-not/)

[Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/)

[Explore all 216 Edward Albee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/)

## More Art quotes

> [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/)

[Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/)

> [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/)

[Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/)

> [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/)

[Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/)

> [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/)

[Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/)

> [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/)

[Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/)

> [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/)

[Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/)

> [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/)

[Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/)

> [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/)

[Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/)

> [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/)

[Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/)

> [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/)

[G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/)

> [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/)

[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/)

> [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/)

[Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/)

> [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/)

[Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/)

[Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "School curricula that ignore the arts produce highly educated Barbarians",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Edward Albee"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/school-curricula-that-ignore-the-arts-produce-highly-educated/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Art"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/school-curricula-that-ignore-the-arts-produce-highly-educated/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/346/edward-albee-1684_art_school-curricula-that-ignore-the-arts-pr_18642.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/346/edward-albee-1684_art_school-curricula-that-ignore-the-arts-pr_18642.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/346/edward-albee-1684_art_school-curricula-that-ignore-the-arts-pr_18642.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“School curricula that ignore the arts produce highly educated Barbarians” — Edward Albee",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Edward Albee",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "School curricula that ignore the arts...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/school-curricula-that-ignore-the-arts-produce-highly-educated/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/school-curricula-that-ignore-the-arts-produce-highly-educated/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
