How do politicians eliminate a school orchestra in this country and still sleep at night? How does a community adjust to such a theft when they tried so hard to keep the music playing?
The Loss of the Lafayette Elementary School String Orchestra
In 2013, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago politicians put an end to the popular Lafayette Elementary School String Orchestra. Little thought seemed to be given about the orchestra they shut down along with the school. Lafayette also had a respected program for students with autism.
Former Chicago Public School’s CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett stated:
As we end this school year, it is time for us as a city to begin the work of creating a deep and lasting change in our schools to ensure a better life for our children, a better Chicago workforce and a better future for our city. Everyone has a shared responsibility to ensure students have a safe and smooth transition to their new school in the fall and are on a path to a bright future. We owe them our very best.
A better life with no music? Who was she kidding? Not the community which came together to protest with a school sit-in.
Lafayette is in the Humboldt Park neighborhood. Ninety percent of the children there come from poverty. Gangs have been a problem.
So why shut down a school and a music program that works? Why would city leaders demolish joy in a neighborhood?
A video of the Lafayette students playing beautiful music was brought to my attention today. I especially noticed the violinist at the beginning.
How Music Gets Passed Down Through Generations
I recently came across my dad’s violin. As a child, I remember when he’d surprise us, take the instrument out and play. My favorite was the Flight of the Bumble Bee. Probably he made mistakes, but I never noticed.
He played in the public school orchestra in Gary, Indiana. He did well. I found this picture. It’s a bit blurry but he is in the middle with the arrow. He has a big smile on his face.
Emerson Orchestra 1936
My dad and his family lived through the Great Depression. Yet, they still had music in the public school. Even during such a dark time in our country’s history, America kept the music alive.
He spoke once about when he first got that violin and how thrilled he was when my grandparents took him to see violinist Fritz Kreisler at Orchestra Hall in Chicago.
My dad steered me into music. He didn’t care what instrument I played. I chose the flute.
Why Do Schools Shut Down their Music Programs?
So, how does Chicago get rid of a school orchestra? How does a country as great as America deny its children music? How will those children face the future without playing music? What kind of music will they pass down to their children?
It is not that we are a poor country and cannot afford it. That’s a bogus excuse when it comes to schools. Politicians in this country find money for what they want.
They found $4 to $6 trillion for the Iraq, Afghan wars—wars that half the country rejected. That’s supposed to include medical care for those who were injured. Music doesn’t hurt anyone.
This country also spent $700 billion in tax dollars to bail out the banks after the financial crisis.
So eliminating music programs for children isn’t about money. It’s about privatizing public schools. It is about making public schools so terrible that people will flee to charter schools. Chicago has steered their dollars into charter schools.
Chicago is not alone. I bet most who read this know of schools that have lost marching bands and orchestras. Many of us can name dozens of public schools that have been sacrificed for privatization.
The Social Impact of Losing Music
Removing music from our public schools does more than steal music. It takes away a place for children to get to know one another. Music is important for socialization.
When my daughter chose to play the French horn in her middle school band, I was delighted to see an orchestra made up of students from many ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
Music is also important for preparing students for future jobs in the music industry. Stealing music instruction from a student could possibly steal their future employment—their passion.
After Lafayette was closed, along with many other public schools, a Truthout report described a changed Chicago. Rosemary Vega, whose children attended Lafayette, said the decision to close Lafayette was devastating.
“It was like receiving news that a family member has passed,” she says. Vega herself graduated from Lafayette, as did her father. “Removing Lafayette displaces our communities. It’s like yanking someone from their roots [and] erasing their memories.”
Her 8-year-old son has had trouble adjusting to his new school, Vega says, and his grades have dropped. Her 12-year-old daughter is doing better, but said she still misses Lafayette’s string orchestra program—prior to the closings, the only CPS children’s string orchestra in Chicago.
Music should be a part of every child’s schooling. Schools should continue to help make music a family tradition.
Who could read this post and listen to the incredibly beautiful music of this young orchestra, brimming with talent and sharing their joy of music with their families, and not weep? (answer–those who perpetrated this travesty)
As always, thank you, Sheila.
Fellow flutist here. Thanks for a beautiful piece. I saw the clip on Facebook yesterday and had an identical reaction. Thanks for expressing it so eloquently.
Thanks, Nancy!
Schools are being closed because white people are afraid of losing the power to control everyone else. It is white male Supremes driven by fear.
Typical urban (i.e., Progressive Liberal or low-information voter) response.
I wonder for what else “urban” is a code word.
Well I agree with the spirit of the article, I would also point out that it’s factually Incorrect and incomplete, so readers should take it with a grain of salt.
It’s incomplete that you provide a veiled criticism without telling me why you think it is incorrect and incomplete!
I will take your reply with a grain of salt. It would take an entire book to be close to being all inclusive….If something is incorrect, address it.. Otherwise keep it to yourself. That is the difference between criticism and constructive criticism.
Nothing stregthens the brain and its connectivity across both hemispheres more than playing a musical instrument….NOTHING.
Thank you, Kerry. I think you are on the side of much research that agrees!
…or singing!! (A Choral Director in the Public Schools for 39 years, and had students who excelled in Math, English, Social Studies and the Sciences, too!). Ever hear of “The Mozart Effect” and the impact upon a student’s other grades? #teacherofaValedictorianattheUniversityOfMichigan
The missing info is this- The Lafayette program was not run by CPS, but by the Merit School of Music.. Funding was provided largely by Merit, along with some CPS funds. It was not the only string orchestra in a CPS school.
The program was merged with another excellent Merit orchestra program at Chopin Elementary, they continue to make wonderful music, and they performed May 17th 2016 at the yearly Meritfest at Symphony Center.
Additionally, there is an incredible orchestra program going on at Hibbard Elementary, anpther CPS school in Albany Park, run by the People’s Music School.
It was not brought to light a few days ago on social media-, it was discussed 3 years ago when the closings took place.
The author did not note that Barbara Byrd Bennet is a now a convicted felon.
The point in my posting is to say that it does not help the cause to blog without doing some fact-checking. These errors could all have been avoided through fifteen minutes of internet research.
You imply that the closure of Lafayette and its outstanding music program should be “taken with a grain of salt.”
That Merit helped fund the program only illustrates the problem of partnerships. Again, CPS pulled their funds and they shut down the whole school.
I was not aware of the one other school, Hibbard, which has a partnership and is luckily still doing well. While that is nice for those children, it does not solve the problem that most young students are going without music in Chicago. It also doesn’t bring back Lafayette’s fine orchestra.
As far as Chopin…what I read was that the teacher from Chopin was struggling to start a program there after the program at Lafayette was shut down. Music teachers should not have to struggle to start a music program or keep it afloat. They should not have to rely on outside funding that isn’t always there.
Note. He doesn’t even have a music room!
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-chopin-teacher-raising-money-met-0919-20150918-story.html
Do students and parents at Chopin still have to live in fear that their program will be closed? That isn’t any way to run a public school. The program at Chopin also sounds crowded.
As far as the Barbara Byrd Bennet quote–she was not the only person who shut down Lafayette. Most of my readers know about her conviction and I didn’t see it as relevant to this post.
My comment was only about the thoroughness of your article. I don’t dispute the facts of the situation.
You can infer what you wish.
I am glad of that.
And I don’t mind being pushed to add more facts or make a topic clearer…or to be corrected.
Thank you. Thanks for elaborating.