STUDIES SHOW UNEQUIVOCALLY THAT MUSIC MAKES YOU SMARTER. YET MUSIC EDUCATION IS FACING A SEVERELY REDUCED BUDGET AND IS BEING SYSTEMATICALLY ELIMINATED IN OUR SCHOOLS.
The quality of education our children are receiving is in great danger. The TDSB is proposing serious and severe cuts for 2013 – 2014 to the Itinerant Music Education programs currently being offered to TDSB Elementary students – ORFF, RECORDER, VOCAL, BAND, STRINGS and STEEL PAN.
These are programs extremely valued by parents and students, and as we all know, have far-reaching positive life-long benefits to our children.
At the April 8, 2013 TDSB Budget Committee meeting, the Music Department's proposed cuts were made known and discussed by the committee. They include program hours reductions of 24% for Band, 29% for Strings, 19% for Steel Pan, and 100% for all Vocal, Record and Orff programs.
For over 40 years, IMIs have provided professional music instruction and the opportunity for TDSB students to learn creativity and improve other skills through music. Music is such an integral part of daily life, has been proven over and over again to help students advance in other areas of study, and remains a key component of the Provincial Educational Curriculum. Because of this, almost ten years ago, the TDSB studied and voted on the objective to place a Certified Music Teacher in every school. To date, they have not been able to achieve that goal and it appears are unlikely to do so; yet the subject keeps coming up over and over again without success. The Itinerant Music Instructors have consistently filled that gap and fostered the interest in students to continue music education and experience through their high school and later years. Without the IMIs, many students in TDSB schools will not have the benefit of a full music experience and education and the effect wil be felt in all grades of the education system. We must ensure that does not happen. Please sign this petition to voice your support and send a message to the Trustees to stop these cuts.
