As of this last week Todd Campbell brought to our attention the urgency of notifying our specific representative State School Board Members concerning a proposed new requirement for our 8^th grade students. This will have a tremendous NEGATIVE effect on students participating in our programs and ultimately effect programs right up through our high schools. Please read Todd’s note (below) to UMEA and write your representative board member ASAP. There is a deadline here of the January 12. My best as we go forward to promote music in our schools. To find your board member, simply click on the added link…

To assist, I have included the note I have written to my School Board Representative here in District 1 (below). Feel free to copy n’ paste…… use it how you would like.

Thanks,

Greg Wheeler

Gregory J. Wheeler Ph. D.

Music Education, Jazz,

Bands, Woodwinds

Utah State University

President – Utah Music Educators Association

gregj.wheeler@usu.edu

435-512-5799

UTAH MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION

Dear UMEA Board,

I am not sure you are aware that the State School Board has passed a new 8th grade course requirement. "Digital Studies". I am finding that very few people are aware of this. I am extremely concerned! The powers at be feel like our students need to be more prepared with technology. This added course in my opinion will kill music as we know it. I have already been in contact with my legislator Ray Ward (who's children are in Band and who I went to high school with where he played trombone) and my State School Board member representative Laura Belnap. When we talked she expressed that she feels like this class is a bad idea and here is how I should proceed...( these were her recommendations). She also expressed that most of the decisions are made in committee not at the actual board meetings. So the timing of the letters we need to send are very important. She also suggested that we should send letters to all board members.

The board meets in committee meeting on Jan 12th.
We should write letters to all board members ASAP
We should have many people from all over the state write letters
We should not just write about what it will do to Music but address all concerns
This should be a decision made by local school boards not the State Board

I have began my letter and will include a very rough draft that I have not sent. I would appreciate your thoughts and suggestions with my letter but feel strongly that we have many many people write letters. I have included all the State School Board members contact information. I have also included minutes from several of the board meetings held in the past year or so. We must act before Jan 12th. I suggest that we have a letter deadline of Jan 8th.

https://schoolboard.utah.gov/board-member-bios

January 17, 2017

Dear Mrs. Warner,

I have been a music educator in the Cache Schools for 30 years and am a professor in music education in the music department at Utah State University for the last 8 years. I am presently President of the Utah Music Educators Association (UMEA). We have most recently learned of the potential of a new added requirement for our 8^th grade students. It is referred to as Digital Studies. It seems to be something that was taught in the high school but has now been recommended to be passed down to the 8^th level students in our state. I don’t believe those in charge of this are having an open mind to what this does to the other elective areas for our students, especially the arts and music programs. The 8^th level is not one that allows for a lot of electives for our students. Of course, music is an elective course for our students. With another required course, this will place nails in the coffin for our music programs for our younger students. At this point it is tough enough for our students to include music in their school curriculum with all the required subjects. On top of that, this has incredible negative effect on the high school programs as student have to defer their musical training as they just get started – when this happens they don’t come back. If not carefully thought through, this could become one of the largest deterrents to music education to ever come from our state board. As President of UMEA, I am hearing the cry of distress and worry from music educators form throughout the state. I would hope you sincerely re-examine the need of doing this and realize the major loss it will cause in students participating in the arts in our schools. Through the latest passing of the Every Child Succeeds Act there is a national/state re-emphasis as music has been redefined as being one of the key parts of our school curriculum and student learning. We plead for you to reconsider the decision of adding this requirement to our 8^th grade students. I would be glad to chat with and answer any questions concerning the importance of our young student’s involvement in our school music programs.

Sincere Thanks,

Greg Wheeler