Posted on 5/15/2002, 12:54:16 AM by FresnoDA
Memo |
Concerned Parents of CUSD Music Students |
To: LOCAL FRESNO/CLOVIS MEDIA
From: Concerned Parents of CUSD Music Students
Contact: Linda McKinney, Media Liaison – Clovis West High School Band Boosters
Date: 5/14/2002
Parent volunteers from all Clovis Unified School District campuses are uniting in opposition to CUSD’s proposal to cut music educator positions at the elementary school level and radically reassign current music teachers beginning with the 2002-2003 school year.
The parents intend to voice their opposition to this plan on Wednesday, May 22, 2002 at 6:30 P.M. at the CUSD Governing Board Meeting. The meeting will take place at CUSD’s district offices at 1450 Herndon Ave. in Clovis. Attendance at the meeting will be significant since more than 2000 CUSD students participate district-wide in instrumental music programs within the boundaries of Clovis Unified School District. The parents of these CUSD music students work tirelessly on behalf of CUSD’s music programs via Booster Organizations, which have become the primary fundraising mechanism for the continuation of most of the CUSD High School instrumental music programs.
The goal of the concerned parents is to request that CUSD reconsider the proposed cuts to the CUSD music education programs and to hire new elementary school music teachers for the two new elementary schools planned to open in the 2002-2003 school year. The parents intend to further request that CUSD look district-wide toward increasing funding for the existing Instrumental music programs, at elementary, intermediate and high school levels.
- ELEMENTARY INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC INSTRUCTION TIME ALREADY HAS BEEN CUT IN HALF.
- NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ARE BEING OPENED IN THE FALL, BUT NO NEW MUSIC TEACHERS ARE BEING HIRED.
- ELEMENTARY MUSIC TEACHERS ARE BEING RE-ASSIGNED AWAY FROM THE SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES
WHERE THEY HAVE LONG-ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS.
- TALK TO YOUR SCHOOL MUSIC TEACHER.
- TALK TO YOUR SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.
- SPEAK UP FOR YOUR CHILDREN.
- SPEAK UP FOR THE “ATHENS” IN “SPARTHENIAN.”
- PLAN ON ATTENDING THE NEXT CUSD BOARD MEETING
****************************************************
CUSD BOARD MEETING
WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2002
AT 6:30PM – 1680 DAVID E. COOK WAY
CLOVIS, CA 93611
(SE CORNER/HERNDON & SUNNYSIDE – CLICK HERE FOR MAP LINK)
Organized by concerned parents of the Clovis Unified School District.
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Perhaps if our society were teaching children how to be good, respectable citizens while at the same time preparing them to be mentally fit and capable to make positive contributions to society, we wouldn't have the problems that exist today. Instead, we have ADHD kiddies on speed, homosexual agendas being pushed, and lessons on Islam in our schools. Meanwhile, money for music and other valuable educational opportunities continues to dwindle.
The liberal element of our society is blind to the horrors of the future awaiting us. I just hope its not too late to change the priorities of our educational systems. We need to get back to lighting fires under our children so that they will be passionate, so that they will be intelligent, and so they will be prepared to lead future generations.
Well, I live in Clovis, have two sons who play trumpet in school. And I consider this too local an issue for Free Republic!
Priorities are the problem at Clovis, not the budget.
I was not a musician in school. I was a debate geek. Brothers, sisters, wife, wife's sisters, both sons were/are/will be band members. Been involved with Columbus HS Band for 2 generations now. Our band has a higher percentage of Honor Students (near 50%) than any other group in the school. That statistic stands true for both Middle School and High School. The discipline, teamwork, dedication to purpose, and esprit de corps carry over to all other facets of their school life and beyond.
Our new stupidintendent (4 yrs administrative experience and new to the district) tried to run off our band director (32 yrs experience, 22 yrs here) last year. He learned very quickly how stupid an idea that was. Once he saw the power of the organization, from students to teachers to parents to alumni, he quickly became a big fan of the band. He or a member of his staff attends EVERY function of the band, no matter where. He is a truly loathsome political animal at his core--I feel the need to bathe every time I shake his hand. But I make sure to put my purple band booster shirt in his face and my hand in his hand every time I see him. I want to make sure he remembers the very public spanking we gave him.
To the parents in Clovis. Stand together and stand strong. Don't let the administrators take away a truly vital part of the education of your children. Your strength is in your numbers and in shining the light of publicity on the situation. Get your kids in the community. Let them see what the band is all about. Mobilize the band alumni. Even from long distance, they can have a positive effect on the process. Good luck. Keep playing.
did you here about the $24 Billion deficit, Ca has due to Gov Davis's bumbling of a former $16 billion dollar surplus just 16 months ago.
Vote for Bill Simon!
How else are we supposed to resupply the NFL?
Who cares, on most any topic, what Europe does?!!
Our luck changed when the Superintendent's contract wasn't renewed and the new one was a trumpet player in his high school marching band. He supported the music programs wholeheartedly and it made all the difference in the world.
One thing that might help. ALL school financial records are open to the public. When our band parents complained about the amount of money being spent on football versus the band program I went to the administrative offices and did my own little "audit". I discovered that Activities Director had a little known fund from all the soda machine money that he dispersed as he saw fit. This amounted to approx. $20,000.00 a year. Over the last few years, the football program saw $30,000 of it and the rest went to remaining sports, the band program received $400.00. When the administration realized I had this information, things changed in a hurry. You have the right to dig onto all of this information - do it!!
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