Flea Has Strong Reaction To Music Education Funding Cuts

(Radio.com) When he was in growing up, band class was all Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea looked forward to. And music prevented him from getting in serious trouble.

That's why he's so passionate about supporting programs that encourage kids interested in music, and so angry at politicians that want to cut funding for music education. "It's child abuse," he said in a recent interview "It's just wrong."

Flea elaborated on how powerful music classes were in keeping him motivated to stay in school. "When I was a kid, I was heading for trouble," he told Rolling Stone. "I was running around in the street, I was robbing, I was breaking into houses, I was doing drugs. I was cutting class and smoking weed - just headed to trouble. And the one thing that kept me together and kept me straight was music. The only reason I even went to school was because I liked playing in the band."

When he returned to his alma mater in 2000, he was shocked to find the music classroom at Fairfax Senior High School had no instruments and that funding was cut for music education. A year later, Flea co-founded the Silverlake Conservatory of Music with friends. Read more here.

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