Music Cutbacks!

[DanStat]

Hey ya'll. I live in Charlotte, NC and our school system has been having some problems with budgets latley due to the recent discrmination lawsuits, the "choice plan", and they say we are having an "enrollment burst"...well, our Superintendent, Dr. Eric Smith, unveiled a new budget that CUT BAND FROM ELEMENTARY schools!

I know some of you are musicians, and I thought I would share this story with you. I've already signed three petitions against it. Here's a link to the full story. NBC6 - CMS Budget Cuts

I hope you guys realize the importance of music in schools, and if this is happening in your hometown, I encourage you to vote against it.

 

[howlin_mad]

So what's the problem? Band is expensive for schools, and the kids will still get the opportunity to play in middle school, high school and on their own outside of school. If you guys want the program that bad, then have a fundraiser to make money for the program. You can't solve life's problems just by petitioning everything.

“I think it’s going to hurt the kids, said Heidi Todys, parent. “This might be if for them. This might be the only exposure they ever have to playing an instrument."

A) It's not going to hurt anyone. If anything it'll be a learning opportunity about how the real world operates.

B) If the parent is that concerned then the kid should be given music lessons outside of school. There are plenty of places that offer to teach people of all ages how to play musical instruments.

“If they move it to 6th grade, there’s going to be competition in regards to other subjects offered,” said Howren.

Competition is one of the best things out there, and it's what teachers are most afraid of. It means that they would have to do their job better to attract new students to their classes (not that all teachers and classes are bad). Plus the students taking music can also take other classes. Many of my friends did that without any problems back in middle and high school.

 

[NowInc]

This actually hits close to home for me...

Back when I was in High school all those years ago, They decided to cut our ENTIRE music/theater/art department so that the football team could have yet another losing season (No sports team in my high school had one a SINGLE game in over 20 years...yet our music program won National awards and our theater presentations gathered large crouds)....

 

[Sansaarai]

Well when I was in High school they wanted to cut ALL school activities. Music, Art and even all sports. We had a fund raiser and went door to door to convince all the older people to vote in favor of after school activities.

 

[FutureCEO]

Originally posted by disneyprep50321
Hey ya'll. I live in Charlotte, NC and our school system has been having some problems with budgets. Superintendent, Dr. Eric Smith, unveiled a new budget that CUT BAND FROM ELEMENTARY schools

Big deal. Our school system is 1.3 million dollars in debt

 

[DanStat]

Update and Reply

Here's an update...our school board is up for sale on eBay...look under: Nine School Board Members or something like that...we are getting a new superintendent, and maybe that will straghten things out.

Now, sorry to dig up this old topic, but I was reading back, and this made me mad

So what's the problem? Band is expensive for schools, and the kids will still get the opportunity to play in middle school, high school and on their own outside of school. If you guys want the program that bad, then have a fundraiser to make money for the program. You can't solve life's problems just by petitioning everything.

The problem is...we are in the top 20 schools in the nation, population wise. We are market number 28 in the nation....unlike Merietta, GA. That presents a problem. Many kids are inner city, and our many "inner city" kids are not in the fortunate group. If we start exposure to music young, kids will have a hobby, and it prevents them from going out and doing drugs, alchohol, etc.

We have tried fundraisers, but it didn't help. The petition did help, thanks very much, but it just came down to the money.

This site that was recently in support of our school system recently turned negative...here's a link...CMS Cares

Thanks!