Parents, Educators Call on JPS to Renew Music Program

If Ivory Phillips cannot figure out the "reasoning or rationale behind" keeping the music program in JPS, maybe he needs to resign forthwith. Talk about clueless.

Agreed. And my emails to the board did address the rationale behind keeping it. But guess what, determining how to keep successful programs is the job of the those highly paid JPS administrators - not mine. I didn't realize I needed to submit a 6 page paper on why we needed to keep the program. But Dr. Phillips, you'll get the message loud and clear from all those parents who invested time and money in this program. I'm disgusted with his disdain for the parents of JPS.

My email to the Board recognized the fact that budget reconciliation is a complex and formidable task - HOWEVER, need I be the one to remind Board Members of their own goals and objectives? "To interpret the educational needs and aspirations of the community and subsequently formulate policies which appropriately stimulate the learner and the
learning process..." and "to maintain two-way communication with the various groups served by the schools, to interpret public attitudes, to identify policies and procedures of the schools, and to encourage public involvement with an understanding of the schools."

This is from JPS Board of Trustees Goals and Objectives. I want to know their salary and how much can be slashed towards that 6 million budget cut.

My daughter did the Stings thing in the Clinton Schools and I can understand the importance of the program but I can also understand there not being funding for something that cost $300,000 for 400 students, that's a little over 1% of the total students in the JPS system. Is it really that cost effective?

Bubba, I've updated the article to reflect the correct participation rate for the entire program. 400 students take advantage of the music lessons, but the concerts at Thalia Mara serve all elementary schools.

Ward- Gotcha, money well spent then.

Our children are both in the strings program in Clinton Public Schools. Let me share a couple of observations.

Math skills and love for math have increased. Music is all about math: for example, when you count 4/4 time, you're using fractions to count the beats in a measure. I have seen our son, who has hated math in the past, grow to love it. How many kids in Mississippi have trouble with math skills?

Teamwork! Just like a band, an orchestra has to work together in order to make the performance succeed. Our two children have unknowingly learned that principle and use it in their daily lives. They are more cooperative with each other than they ever have been. They used to fight over computer time: now they either take turns or even share the computer.

Dedication. To get to be good at something, you have to practice. They are showing dedication by practicing often and improving their skills. As a result, they are also more eager to do their homework and do a good job with it.

Advantages. Band doesn't begin until later. In fifth grade, they get the opportunity to get a head start over other kids: they learn to read music and learn to follow a conductor.

That's what I have seen so far, and this is just their first year. Imagine how being in the music program will affect them years from now. And the strings program is only the beginning.

Who is lacking depth of reason - the countless local, state, national and international outcries to keep music in Jackson's public schools,including my own, as well as the multitude of studies that support the benefits of music in our public schools? Or Ivory Phillips, who is unwilling to acknowledge the existence of in-depth reasoning by those who will be affected by his vote against music in the public schools?

Allow me to be sassy for a minute: I'm on the side of all you JPS parents who are outraged about the cutting of the music programs -- BUT I'd love to see half the interest and passion over this story that only Ward Schaefer of the Jackson Free Press has investigated and reported months ago now. Seriously, folks, pay attention:

JPS Cited for Handling of No Child Left Behind Funds.
Ward's follow-ups to that story

This story is, so far, unresolved, and the district is trying to charge us way too much money to access the public documents. The superintendent has been non-responsive, as have the board.

And considering that funds are at play in this case, and funds are being cut on the front that you all are outraged about, it might be worth it to ask questions about this one, too. There are much bigger questions to be asked of the board and the superintendent, and you've got to look past the Ledger's simplistic stories about the board trying to hogtie the superintendent. Seriously.

Just sayin'.

I was just thinking about that last night - about the tutoring funds. I must say, I did not *live* in Jackson at the time and only followed the story with loose interest. At the time I remember thinking that it was typical and was curious how it was resolved. Interesting to know it didn't get resolved.

But now I live in Jackson, and it's my kid it is affecting now. I'm sick of the arts getting the shaft. I'm tired of the dysfunction of this city. I'm tired of being a Jackson apologist.

Donna, how much are they asking for the public records? Something that mainly takes a trip to the file cabinet and the copying room.

Almost $300; it started at almost $400. What many public institutions in Mississippi are trying to do right now is charge you for the time that their lawyer has to "review" public documents -- an attorney that the taxpayers are already paying to be there. It's clearly a scam to keep us from asking for so much information. It's the new fad, and my patience is wearing thin.

Of course, they don't if they *want* you to see it.

Yeah, they are doing that. I requested some documents and they are asking $1,340.

I'm still awaiting the breakdown for fees.

I find it VERY laughable at the one phrase: the $300,000 program...so they have a problem funding a program that cost so little (in comparison to the numerous other *CoughSPORTSCough* programs that I KNOW cost 10 times as much money to support!) but they will certainly take care of other less important things. I can't believe that JPS is in THAT much of a finacial crisis and i WILL not believe it! ESPECIALLY not if this SAME school system is capable enough of bringing 99 Jams radio station to the school for a b-ball game and giving away FREE notice FREE Lil Boosie tickets! And $1 raffle tickets for a free car at a homecoming game?!? Two words for them:

GET REAL!!!

that is funny, I remember quite clearly giving a rationale for keeping the program. Maybe he didn't read my whole email.

I interviewed 32 CEOs and business professionals who played music as a child or adolescent and view that experience as a defining one in preparing them for success for my recently published book, "Everything We Needed to Know About Business, We Learned Playing Music." We identified 9 common lessons from music that transcended to the business world, from the band room to the boardroom. If there's anything that I can do to help, please let me know.

Mr. Cortello, I presume? Your book sounds fascinating! With many music educators in my family, I will certainly be recommending this book.

I would LOVE to somewhere convey the message of your book to the Board of Trustees (and to all Board of Education members in MS).

Donna, its tempting to take up a collection for that and see what happens.
Edited to add: And maybe add a request for the invoices paid to the attorney. I wonder what the bar and AG think of double billing?

By the way, James "Jimmy" Palmer, MS native and the former Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality is one of the 32 professionals I interviewed in the book noted above. He is a STRONG advocate of music in the schools and of the role that the outstanding music programs in the MS schools had on his development as a leader (and other qualties of success). His story and his thoughts might really resonate.

If anyone would like to donate to the fund to get these files, we'll be happy to give you a receipt. I, too, wonder the protocol, legally and otherwise, of requiring us to pay for the attorney, whose job includes dealing with this kind of thing. We're going to pursue it in every way that we can. But we're not the richest paper in the world -- and, of course, that's how they get us.

The state Dept. of Ed is trying to do a similar thing to us for documents requested, as is the secretary of state's office. I'm beginning to think that a memo went around telling government agencies to try to avoid filling requests from sassy little newspapers by trying to charge us a bunch of money for their "time."

Mind you, we're not requesting something in storage for years or in microfilm in another state.

It's really bad form, folks. This is your information they're trying to hide.

And the vote may go back up on Tuesday @5:30.

I can't believe the ledger scooped the JFP website on this...