Boof96 Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 I apologize for posting this on a drum corps forum, but I felt that this was a good way to get the word out to stop a travesty in my county. Mods please feel free to move this to the appropriate forum. Next week, the school board in Escambia county Florida will vote to decide to cut the seventh period in the school day. This will devastate our arts programs in our schools. This is what will occur. Jazz programs will be cut, so students will not be exposed to the only American-created art form. Students will not have as much flexibility in their schedule to explore and broaden their knowledge base. If programs are scheduled before or after school, students without transportation cannot participate. Can you imagine the kid that realizes next fall that he can't be in the jazz band because Mom or Dad can't get him up to the school? Sure it will save money, but at who's expense? The students, of course. Please email the Escambia County School Board members found on this web page if you agree with me and encourage them to continue to move forward not backwards in arts education in Escambia County http://www.escambia.k12.fl.us/contact_info.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumCorpsFan03 Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 Unfortunately, this is happening in more than just your county. Try living and trying to direct music programs throughout most of California... I feel your pain. Just two years ago, some of us staff and directors went down to the district office and paraded outside with our feelings, thoughts and concerns... Last year--elementary school music was brought back! It takes time for simple minds to come to grips with reality! Best of luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuyW Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 Can I just vote for programs that teach students to read, write, spell, do simple math, and think critically? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Blatch Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 Jazz programs will be cut, so students will not be exposed to the only American-created art form. Students will not have as much flexibility in their schedule to explore and broaden their knowledge base. If programs are scheduled before or after school, students without transportation cannot participate. Can you imagine the kid that realizes next fall that he can't be in the jazz band because Mom or Dad can't get him up to the school? What a timely topic. My jazz ensemble was taken away from me two years ago for budget cuts. In a meeting with my building principal today, I was informed that it would be put back in the schedule next year as "too many kids now have study hall." I told them this would happen two years ago and it fell on deaf ears. Maybe this is because I am not just a music teacher, but finishing my doctoral degree in Education Leadership and Administration, but what does that matter? Moral of the story: you will get it back. Most schools dont have enough "special classes" to offer "real" teachers planning periods without them. Be diligent and focus your energy in your main area and it will surely return. Elmo Blatch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Einstein On The Beach Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 Ugh, I'm thoroughly that none of the public school boards in Florida know how to handle anything in an efficient manner. Anything that results in widespread cutting of any programs or classes obviously doesn't work. We dealt with that crap in Broward county all the time. Unfortunately the school boards and Jeb Bush are going to continue making all these ridiculous changes to how the schools are run. It's unfortunate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMBob Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 I only know of a couple of schools in this area that have jazz programs that are not totally extracurricular. Unfortunately, this is the reality we're in, across the whole country. A few years ago, fifth grade band and orchestra were cut in Mecklenburg County, and this year, another county lost the fight to add sixth grade band, so will continue to start in seventh. At least you still have concert programs, it sounds like, unlike some counties that have lost entire music programs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elphaba01 Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 "Cut the Arts": In our "Neck of the Woods" here in the "Emerald City" my pretties, a referendum for increased taxes to support the School District recently was shot down (And to pieces I might add) by the voters of the district. Personnaly, I was surpirsed that it failed to pass, but it seems that the voters are saying: "Enough is enough". I can't say how, or even if the "Arts" will be affected. The local high school's competative marching band program is funded entirely by the Band Parents Group. Elphaba WWW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommytimp Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 (edited) Can I just vote for programs that teach students to read, write, spell, do simple math, and think critically? No, you can't. Voters don't get a line item. It might be nice if we did, then we'd know whether people wanted guns, butter, bread, or circuses. But we don't get that. Edited January 10, 2006 by tommytimp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 I only know of a couple of schools in this area that have jazz programs that are not totally extracurricular. Unfortunately, this is the reality we're in, across the whole country. A few years ago, fifth grade band and orchestra were cut in Mecklenburg County, and this year, another county lost the fight to add sixth grade band, so will continue to start in seventh. At least you still have concert programs, it sounds like, unlike some counties that have lost entire music programs. Most HS jazz ensembles here in NJ meet after school too...I know of very few that are curricular. Princeton HS is one, but then again they have NO concert band program at all (and no MB either). To attempt to schedule two music ensemble periods in the systems I've been connected with would be nearly impossibkle given the academic load kids have today. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pins Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 Can I just vote for programs that teach students to read, write, spell, do simple math, and think critically? "Without the arts, the students won't have anything to think or write about." -- Glen Holland, Mr. Holland's Opus :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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