Parents, teachers and students urge Gresham‑Barlow board to restore elementary music after proposed cuts

Parents, teachers and students told the Gresham‑Barlow SD 10J board that proposed cuts to elementary music threaten longstanding programs, student engagement and teacher retention and urged the board to consider full‑time or halftime restorations or a levy to fund music.

Christine Edel, a district music teacher who said she intentionally lives in the district to teach and raise her child there, called elimination of elementary music "shocking" and said the music community is prepared to support a levy. "If you find a way to maintain elementary music full‑time or even halftime for next year, you can mitigate significant loss from kindergarten all the way through high school," she said, and noted parent‑teacher groups had signaled willingness to fundraise.

Student testimony included Brian Cruz Salazar, a graduating senior who said he organized a petition opposing cuts that reached 5,526 signatures statewide and nationally. "This petition...blew up," he said, praising student and community support for music education. Christopher Cruz Salazar, a junior, said music empowered him to overcome shyness and urged preserving music so younger students can benefit.

Parents raised concerns about a proposed single elementary music TOSA for 10 schools, saying that model would amount to a few hours of instruction per school and would not meet state expectations for elementary music. "Chromebooks and YouTube singalongs are not music class," Mike Bundy told the board, warning that cuts risk losing directors and that program enrollment will drop if students lack consistent music instruction.

Speakers tied music cuts to larger equity and enrollment concerns. Several suggested the district explore additional state funds (one speaker cited an estimate of "$1 million to $2 million" in recent additional funds) or a levy to maintain programs, and asked the board to exercise its authority over budgeting decisions.

The board closed the budget hearing by consensus and recessed before the scheduled board business meeting, where the budget approved by the budget committee will be considered. No formal decision on restoring music positions was recorded at the hearing.