Last month I attended a plan-of-action meeting addressing the proposed devastating cuts to elementary art and music programs for LAUSD’s 2010-11 arts education branch budget.  The proposed cuts will eliminate 50% of elementary arts teacher positions, equaling roughly 173 of 345 teachers.   If enacted, these cuts will decimate arts education in LAUSD. 

The meeting was co-hosted by the Los Angeles Secondary Music Teachers Association, the UTLA Elementary Arts Steering Committee, and Parents for Arts Education, a newly formed community advocacy group.

Despite the dismal circumstances, I couldn’t help but feel inspired by the huge turnout, roughly 200 attendees by my estimation.  After a briefing on District layoff procedures and seniority, we broke out into smaller groups and brainstormed ideas for how to make our case for preserving these positions.

Since that meeting, Arts for LA has formed a partnership with the UTLA Elementary Arts Steering Committe, Parents for Arts Education and many of you to address this crisis.  Our goal is to mobilize parents, students, teachers, arts organizations, and any other LAUSD stakeholders to generate 700 letters to LAUSD School Board members over the next 30 days.  Within a day of launching the campaign, we're seeing a terrific response! 

In this campaign, every voice is important.  If you live, work, go to school, or went to school in LAUSD, take 2 minutes to show your support.

You can...

• Send a letter to your school board member (It takes two minutes)Or click here.
• Forward the call to action out to your networks (Facebook, Twitter, email lists) and add it to your organization’s monthly e-newsletter.
• Adopt a board resolution (see sample)     
• Join the LAUSD arts education advocacy team and get ready to be mobilized (get a log in).

Together we can make a big difference and stand up for the quality education that the students of LAUSD and all of LA County deserve.

Thank you for being a part of this historic effort!

Tara