This is your 2 Minute Advocacy tip for November. Action needed before Friday for Middle School arts, health, and PE credits For those who are new to Utah Cultural Alliance, back in August the state school board voted to eliminate the credit requirements for Middle School arts, health, and PE. We successfully fought back thanks to your advocacy, and at their October meeting, the school board voted to indefinitely suspend implementation of the rule and send it back to the Standards and Assessment Committee. That committee meets THIS Friday and discussion of the rule is fourth on their agenda. The pubic is welcome to attend and attendees are usually allowed to speak (you don't have to sign up first): Friday November 3rd, 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM, 1st Floor Conference Room 156 of the State Board of Education Building (250 East 500 South, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84111). The five school board members who comprise this committee are: Laura Belnap, Chair Lisa Cummins Jennifer Graviet Spencer Stokes Terryl Warner We ask you, our amazing humanities and arts advocates, to reach out to all 5 members before Friday. You can find contact info here. Ask them to allow arts ed to remain as a required credit for Middle Schoolers. Arts ed is an essential component of a well-rounded education and to make it optional for students (even if they would still required for schools to offer it), is not acceptable. It creates an inequitable education around the state and communicates that arts ed isn't as important as required subjects. Because these five committee members are working on behalf of the entire state, you should feel welcome to contact all of them, even if they don't represent you.Sincerely,Christine WolfCentral Davis Jr HighDirector of Bands UMEA Advocacy Chair