More than 50 students and advocates came out to protest outside the Surrey school district office ahead of the board meeting Wednesday night (May 14) to sound their frustrations about the cuts to band class.
In late February, district families were notified of the decision to for students as part of the district's ongoing decisions to get out of a $16-million budget hole. Starting next year, elementary students will no longer be able to choose band as a class as it is not within the B.C. school curriculum.
After that announcement, a petition was started and reached its goal, with students, parents and staff not relenting on their fight to keep the class. The fight culminated in a protest outside the District Education Centre on Wednesday evening (May 14). With their instruments in tow, dozens of students played music in protest and held signs to attract more public attention.
With signs to "Save band class" and noting "Music is fundamental," students and supporters first protested outside the building, then made their way indoors to the public board meeting to participate and support the multiple delegations.
However, the delegations were heard after trustees already passed next year's budget. Within that budget is the decision to cut Grade 7 band after more than 60 years of operation, in lieu of an alternative music class that is awaiting Surrey Teachers' Association acceptance, board chair Gary Tymoschuk said.
BC Music Educators' Association's treasurer, Elizabeth Riegert, took the first delegation, speaking to the importance of Grade 7 band and pointing to a lack of consultation with the community before the decision was made.
"Cutting Grade 7 band is not cutting an after-school club. It is eliminating a core, graded, curriculum-based program," Riegert said.
From students, a retired teacher, current teachers and parents, one message was made clear: band class creates a sense of belonging to students in search of connection. The delegations told the board band class has been a lifeline for students facing challenges including racism, trauma, poverty, developmental differences and others, and taking it away will create more issues than solutions.
Kevin Lee, a retired music teacher at the district, shared that he first got into band after facing immense racism in school from classmates, and the class gave him a sense of belonging and a needed distraction from the discrimination and bullying.
"I was good at it, and I practised and became a fairly good trumpet player. It was music and the trumpet that helped me through a dark time," Lee said.
Andrea Smith, a secondary school band teacher, also advocated for the keeping of the course, along with Colleen Sheridan who said band could remain at the Grade 7 level at no extra cost to the district if the another teacher takes their prep time during the allocated band class time.
Parent speakers Vanessa Prada and Angie Haertl noted that Grade 7 band is an introduction to the course, and students will be less likely to choose it in Grade 8 at their new school if that entry into it is not provided.
"Band is more than just an elective, it's an opportunity to grow," said student Rocco Forte, who spoke alongside multiple other students.
After each speaker concluded, the crowd roared in applause 鈥� but, in the end, they were still met with disappointing news.
"As much as the people in this room are disappointed," vice-chair Terry Allen said to an overflowing room, the majority being students, teachers and parents advocating for Band 7 to stay.
"It's critical for everybody to know that this board has tried relentlessly to get government's interest in the fact that we have a $16-million shortfall.
"I know that people are disappointed, but I want everyone to know, and certainly staff, staff that are going to suffer moves, staff that could face layoffs because of this budget 鈥� we did everything we could in our power to maintain all of those jobs."
