Pitchfork

In case the tireless efforts of Gloria Estefan and the rest of the VH1 loyal haven't yet convinced you, allow me: arts education in public schools is at risk of vanishing. Visual art, performing art, good art, bad art: kids should be making it, but they're not, because all the money that should go to supplies and salaries goes instead to, you know, more hall monitors or whatever.

Not content to leave the creative children behind, some cool kids from the Portland Public School district have gotten together to do Gloria one better, lining up a special concert at the Crystal Ballroom on May 30 that sports some solid PDX area talent. YACHT, Blue Scholars, the Shaky Hands, Illmaculate and OnlyOne from SANDPEOPLE, Gray Matters, Typhoon, and State of Mind will join the "Music in the Schools" benefit gig, the proceeds from which will go directly to the district's music programs.