Upper Darby Schools to Cut Arts and Music

Faced with massive mandated budget cuts the Upper Darby Public Schools has proposed cutting classes for art, music, library instruction, and gym at the elementary level.  Teachers would be laid off.  (Read more at "Upper Darby School District's cutback proposal hits sour note with parents," by Linda Reilly, Delaware County Daily Times, 4/12).  Foreign language and technology classes at the middle school would be eliminated. 

The Upper Darby Arts and Education Foundation issues this comment:

The Board of Directors of the Upper Darby Arts and Education Foundation understands that the decline of state subsidies has created difficult decisions for the Upper Darby School District Board of School Directors. We find the proposal to cut professional music and art instructors from the elementary schools disconcerting. The value of the arts in a child's life has been documented in numerous research studies. Because we see the necessity of the arts in the school district, we respectfully ask that the Upper Darby School District Board of School Directors look for other options. Eliminating elementary arts classes would have a significant, detrimental impact on the lives of the students.

Parents have set up a website:  www.saveudarts.org/ (note:  opening page has music / video).  As a parent one of the most common fears I have heard over the years is that in times of budgetary distress art and music would be cut.  In Upper Darby that seems to be happening.