Well....the board had a chance to do the right thing, but they blinked, and CUT THE MUSIC TEACHERS....
So, we will remember in November....
Here is the statement I made to the Board, before being cut off.
FresnoDA
Good evening. I am the parent of a graduate of Clovis West, and I have 2 students who are still attending Clovis West High School. And yes, all of my children have been heavily involved in instrumental music at Clovis Unified since they were elementary school age. In addition to many years of personal involvement with Clovis West area activities, I am a member of Foundation West, and I am serving my second consecutive term as the elected Chairperson of the Clovis West Band Boosters.
Since hearing about the District’s plans for next year, numerous requests were made by individual parents and eventually the Ad-Hoc committee before you tonight regarding requests for the reasoning behind cutting elementary music teacher positions from two new schools scheduled to open next fall.
Why would the District take such a position? And why would Clovis Unified want to “silence” a gr oup of Concerned Parents who question such plans?
Most of us here tonight are fans of this District in some way, shape or form. We are the same parents who walked precincts and staffed phone-banks so that recent bond measure would pass. Do you know that as band boosters, we are not just supporters of the individual music programs we back, but we are also advocates and ambassadors of Clovis Unified; locally, around the state, even around the nation.
But the primary reason I have asked to speak to you this evening; is about another more fundamental issue that has me quite concerned.
And that is our right, as parents, to approach you as school administrators and elected board members to be heard on this or any other issue regarding education decisions that Clovis Unified is considering. Our experience over the past month and a half has been anything but open and empowering.
Let me give a few examples:
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You deny approval of our Informational Flyer for peaceful distribution to inform the elementary parent population of our concerns, and yet just yesterday you sent out your own District wide flyer to over 20,000 students.
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Why would you send out a letter such as this, so “late” in the process? Where was this free flow of public information, six months ago when we first started asking about it? What kind of cost was involved? The flyer sent home with students yesterday verifies the very concerns we have suspected for months, and ironically, validates the Informational Flyer not approved by the District!
I know that Clovis Unified staff presently adapting the Baldrige process that states:
Well this might come as a surprise, but the Parents before you this evening support the same process as that spelled out on the District’s website.
We expect a full and fair opportunity to discuss any legitimate issue that affects the educational process that this government-run school offers to our children.
If you are not comfortable with such a process, then perhaps another more Conferences are in order, to absorb the very empowerment procedures Baldrige is promoting!
The last thing parents in Clovis Unified want is another government agency practicing Spin Control! The letter sent home with thousands of students yesterday is a recent example. Despite carefully chosen words in this flyer, there were some significant facts missing:
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As a parent of three kids who have been in music. I know they aren't interested in music theory unless they can apply it to a musical instrument. That's why most kids aren't interested in geometry unless they become architects. Nor do athletes spend the bulk of their time in class viewing chalkboard theories, instead of picking up a bat, ball and glove.
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Performing arts students test academically higher than other students and they have much higher attendance, which of course translates into dollars for CUSD! These are facts, from a study conducted ironically of the Clovis Unified School District in particular.
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And despite statements published in a local newspaper, music instruction is not “elitist” or just for a select few in any form. In fact, music may be more inclusive than many team sports. I am personally not aware of ANY STUDENTS who have ever been cut from an Elementary, Intermediate or High School CUSD instrumental music program.
In closing, I met a gentleman at the Farmers Market last Friday while passing out Informational Flyers about this very meeting.
He told my family that he had just attended his 50th high school class reunion.
He said as he walked around the room, many were reminiscing about playing football, baseball, and basketball.
The stories were very interesting.
When he was finally asked what he did in high school, he replied, “I was in the band.”
Laughter broke out!
When the laughs quieted down, he politely asked those same gentlemen when was the last time they had played a game of football.
They all snickered, and said, it has been over 30 years!!
This wise man replied, “Well, I have been a musician my entire life and I am still playing. Just two days ago, I played my String Bass in the Clovis Community Band.”
None of these present laughed when he said this!!
Please be careful this is not a shortsighted approach.
Mistakes on this matter could result in a lifetime of regret for some families and our community; for Clovis Unified and ultimately for the students with whom we have entrusted in your responsibility.
I hope your decisions with regard to cutting the elementary music program at Clovis Unified reflect logic and restraint.
Thank you!
May 17 - 6:00 - 6:33 P.M. -- Parent volunteers from CUSD walked the streets of downtown Clovis tonight. The Farmers Market was the public venue. Numerous street vendors were sit up, with food and crafts available. Parent volunteers attempted to peacefully walk the event, handing out Informational Flyers.
After about 5 minutes of walking, event staff approached, and advised the Parent Volunteers they did not have permission to hand out or distribute "political information". 
More than two dozen parents Wednesday night urged Clovis Unified trustees to rescue elementary music education from what they see as cuts in that arts program.