April 21, 2010

Nick,

I can’t begin to tell you the sadness I feel in learning about the reduction of the Fine and Performing Arts Manager position for the Edmonds School District. This position, currently held by Scott Barnes, has been vital to the sustenance of the arts programs in Edmonds.

When I came into the district in 1998, this position’s responsibilities were solely for the management and development of the K-12 music program. When Scott came on board in 2005, Fine Arts, Drama, and Dance were added to his responsibilities. Because Scott is such an outstanding administrator, he was able to handle these additional responsibilities and has worked diligently, thoughtfully, and collaboratively to improve, enhance, and defend these programs.

I’ve watched as other districts have eliminated or reduced the Music Supervisor/Manager positions and have been extremely proud that Edmonds has recognized the importance of this position for the success of our programs. I believed our leaders in Edmonds understood the positive impact of these programs in and beyond the rehearsal room.

Every day, it seems, I learn about more cuts in the various arts programs in our district. When will it stop? It doesn’t seem to matter how successful we are, what contribution we make, or the impact we have. I feel very fortunate that MTHS has a capable administrator in Greg Schwab to make the hard choices to maintain a vibrant music program. He understands what a good music program brings to the culture of the school. He understands what music students take into their other classes in terms of problem solving, collaboration, compassion, leadership, sensitivity, and creativity, and he understands how this elevates the class environment for those who are not able to participate in music. He understands how music keeps many at-risk students connected to school and a community of young people who are generally concerned with being good students and becoming compassionate, contributing community members.

Unfortunately, not every administrator understands these benefits. They don’t all make the right choices in their program offerings. They make easier choices, but these easier choices ultimately produce schools of lesser quality, with less substance, and less significance. Our schools will become schools in which the arts are a thing of the past; schools that hold even less appeal for our students than they do currently.

There needs to be stronger leadership from the superintendent’s staff and district administration with regard to the vision we hold as a district for the artistic development of our students. Artistic development, which is important in and of itself, but that also improves the students’ performance in academic subjects, improves the culture of the school, and improves the relationships of the students and teachers in the school. There needs to be stronger leadership at the district level, not weaker. The reduction of the arts management position weakens the place of the arts even more. It is a value statement about how we feel and what we believe about the arts and arts education in our district. It is a statement that can’t be mistaken or misunderstood: the arts are not important in Edmonds. This is not acceptable.

I have yet to see any research that discusses the positive benefits of the elimination of arts programs in schools. However, there is a vast amount of research showing the opposite to be true. What research are we looking at as we make district level decisions regarding the arts? Is the district administration guiding our school principals and encouraging them to use and examine research as they work to improve their schools?

Through the arts we not only accomplish our goals in core academic subjects like reading, math, and science, but we also develop young people who understand the bigger concepts that we hope they will understand in life.

Most people know this to be true, yet most people don’t make decisions that align with these proven facts. I always thought the Edmonds School District would have the courage to do things differently, to support the arts for their primary and secondary values, and not just for political reasons; to validate their importance for our students, not just to quell parental complaints or appease the wishes of “very vocal parent groups.”

When you came into the district, Nick, I was so excited. I remember your speech at Edmonds/Woodway stadium. I was there with my jazz band students providing entertainment and was glad that they heard your talk, too. It was truly an inspirational talk and I thought it was so great to have a leader come into the district with such a strong vision; someone who would motivate us all to do better and be better than we ever imagined possible.

I haven’t been motivated or inspired by anything from the superintendent’s staff since that day. I have only been disappointed. Despite my disappointment, I have worked every single day to do my best for my students while simultaneously working to become the best educator I could. I’m obsessive about personal and profession growth. And in the process, we have developed a band program at MTHS that I would put up against any program in the district, not just music programs, for the benefits that we provide for students, the school, and the community. It is truly a model for what education could and should be. Unfortunately, this has gone virtually unrecognized at the district level despite our recognitions on a national level. Despite our successes not one person from the superintendent’s staff has ever inquired as to how we have done what we have done. We have been successful for years despite so many challenges including closed enrollment, small schools reform, increased graduation requirements, fewer class periods for music students, weakened feeders programs, budget reductions, and many others. However, we can’t continue this “against all odds” success indefinitely.

Imagine what our schools will be like once the music programs cease to exist. You don’t have to imagine too hard; we’re already well on our way, and it isn’t very appealing. When this crisis is over, will we have saved those things that matter most? When all music and art programs are gone, what will our schools be like? What will the daily experience for students in our schools be like? What is the plan and timeline for rebuilding this nationally recognized K-12 music program that we all claim to “value” and “support”? I think that an optimistic timeline would be at least 20 years to regain funding, hire exceptional teachers and leaders, and educate the community, the administrators, and the staffs of the importance of the investment. Think of the thousands of students who we will have let down in the future because of our lack of courage and our disregard of research during this present crisis.

I feel that the district administration needs to do a better job creating a vision and realizing that vision in spite of the financial difficulties that we are experiencing. I’m tired of the excuses that the state doesn’t fund education. I’m tired of hearing that we will ignore research about the value of an arts-rich education because we don’t have the courage to examine it and develop our programs around it. We can’t continue to keep our heads in the sand about the benefits that the arts provide not just in the arts, but in all subjects. We can’t continue to cut the very things that make life worth living. At the rate we are going in this district, it won’t be long before all of the music and arts programs will be decimated.

It doesn’t take a fortuneteller to see that without a district Music Manager to advocate for the arts and educate decision makers about the arts that they will continue to take the easier way out and cut the arts. We need Scott Barnes working full time on behalf of the arts, not just for the benefit of the arts teachers and students, but for all of our sakes.

This is truly a devastating blow to our district. I can’t believe, knowing what we know, that we would make such a grave mistake. The future looks bleak not just for the arts in Edmonds, but for all of education in Edmonds.

Darin Faul
Band Director
Mountlake Terrace High School