Please Rally To Save TDSB Itinerant Music Program 2019

  • by: Tara MacDonald
  • recipient: Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and Canadian Government

STUDIES SHOW UNEQUIVOCALLY THAT MUSIC MAKES YOU SMARTER. YET MUSIC EDUCATION ONCE AGAIN 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 once again proposing serious and severe cuts for 2019 – 2020 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.

The proposed cuts include elimination of some programs and program hours and reductions in others. The difference between now and what happened in 2013, despite the cuts and budget not yet being approved, is that the process used to determine scheduling for the next school year has already been suspended by the TDSB pending budget approval.

This means for the first time in over 25 years, students and staff are going into the summer months without an idea of what the timetable schedule will look like for the following year or whether quality music instruction will even continue to be offered in their school in 2019/2020. The decision to suspend this process was delivered by those in the offices of the Director of Education: Dr. John Malloy - even though the cuts have not been approved by the TDSB board of trustees.

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 will 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.

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO?

We must urgently let the trustees, our MPPs and the premier know that we value music education and will not allow it to be cut from the TDSB budget. Send an email, write a letter, or take the time to phone your trustee and MPP. You can get this contact information at tdsb.on.ca. Contact information for MPPs is available at www.ola.org

The TDSB's music department's own slogan is: A sound investment in today's children, tomorrow's leaders.

Sign Petition
Sign Petition
You have JavaScript disabled. Without it, our site might not function properly.

Privacy Policy

By signing, you accept Care2's Terms of Service.
You can unsub at any time here.

Having problems signing this? Let us know.