Several Winston-Salem/Forsyth County students and school board members raised concerns about pending cuts to arts programming at Tuesday's meeting.
Five students from Hanes Magnet Middle School sat through the entire school board meeting for the chance to speak to their elected officials about their chorus teacher, Landon Bratt.
He’s one of about 125 district employees currently on the “surplus list,” which means their positions, schools and the classes they teach could all change next year. Lottie Wiggins urged the board to fight that decision.
“If he leaves, you'll be taking away from the diversity of our school and one of the things that makes our district special," Bratt said. "Without chorus or a capella, hundreds of children would not have found their voice or passion.”
Officials say principals are having to adjust their staffing and course offerings as a result of declining enrollment. But multiple board members raised concerns that the cuts seemed to target arts and world language programming more than other areas.
During a committee meeting, Leah Crowley said limiting those opportunities for students may only worsen enrollment numbers and push out the educators being asked to teach courses that don’t align with their expertise.
“I'm worried that the message that we're sending them now, that we don't value these subject areas and that we don't value their position or what they're doing for students, might already have them with a foot out the door," Crowley said. "And I think it is imperative that we expedite finding a solution to this matter.”
Officials say there will be a surplus fair in May, where impacted employees can meet with principals and try to find a good match for their new assignment.
In the meantime, students and their families have started petitions to try to save teachers and classes at their schools.