There was a question raised at the Alumni meeting last Saturday by a member on whether the arts program at Lincoln would suffer from the anticipated drastic budget cuts that the LAUSD will adopt as a result of the State budget outcome, as yet not resolved. Aside from the speculation and conjecture expressed at the meeting, some direction was provided from the District in the recent comments of Superintendent Ramon Cortines and those comments are relevant here.
At the meeting last week at Dahlia Heights Elementary, the same question was raised as it applied to the arts programs in the schools overall. Supt. Cortines acknowledged the importance of such programs, remarking that, for many students, "that is the hook that keeps them in school." He said that the Saturday school programs were similarly important for the large numbers of students affected. He said that he could not be certain with any specific commitment yet since budget numbers have not been established at the State level, but he considered arts programs important to the education process and would work to maintain them as important parts of the educational picture.
This budget crisis impacts the school district at all levels, and we had a topic area brought up that included consideration of a student field trip using LAUSD school busses for transporting the students.
According to the list of things that were covered in the LAUSD meeting and other similar content items appearing in print from Supt. Cortines, I would not expect much in the way of funds available soon or in the long run for expenses that had been made in the past. The District, according to Supt. Cortines, had begun belt-tightening steps last year as they saw this picture developing. A lot of things have been cut and more are on the way. (See topic from earlier posting here made last Wednesday.)
Supt. Cortines said coaches have been cut, and the aides are another area for personnel reductions. The increasing likelihood of more personnel reductions gets closer to becoming a certainty. Any available funds would be expected to go to the "necessities" of a school, so most of the field trips, if not all of them, will not qualify as “necessities.” That is another reason for parent and community support being needed if important programs are to continue at schools, generally, and at Lincoln, specifically.
The arts are a part of the educational process as well as the academics. The impact that that area has on morale of the students is important although not noticed as readily as the impact coming from good academic involvement. Long gone at Lincoln and many other LAUSD schools are the days of a mighty school spirit and the pride shown by student service clubs facilitating campus events- and long gone are many of the campus events themselves, when you stop and think about it.
The present day school band is getting Lincoln back into a level of where it should have been all along. The notable times from "back in the day" with Mr. Tozier and Mr. Benson, important names from Lincoln High’s past, genereally recognized as handling the bands very well for years show one end of the spectrum of activity in music, while the later times, with no band to speak of for years, give you an example of the weaker level of activity for the music involvement available to students at LHS . There is quite a difference to the school environment but it was at a subtle level, and restoring such things will be positive steps to improve things on multiple levels.
The Alumni Association contributed funding for the purchase of new band uniforms and in this fashion, generate a positve action, moving forward in the rebuilding of students' school-involvement and restoration of a level of pride in the school that such activities promote. The recent demonstration of LHS-organized talent during the Lincoln Heights Christmas Parade was a step in the right direction, raising the level of school spirit for particiapants and for the parade watchers, many of whom are also LHS alumni. Movement in that direction needs to continue if we are to expect the most that the students can achieve at Lincoln. It is not the only thing needed for a better educational program but one important item among the many.
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