Dear 209 Board of Education (Mr. Alexander, Mrs. Kelly, Ms. Grant, Mrs. Medina, Mr. Wagner, Mr. Valtierrez and Ms. Patterson), and Dr. James Henderson, Mr. Rodney Hull, Dr. Kevin Brown, Mr. Daniel Johnson and Dr. Mitchell-Williams,

It has come to our attention that marching band class is being cut from the Proviso East curriculum for the 2021-2022 school year. Our understanding is that there will be no band class offered during the school day as a course and that early bird marching band practices will be discontinued. As a result, students will not receive course credit for the work completed in band this school year.

It is also our understanding that the decision to cut the band program was based on a single student survey conducted in December 2020, in which only four students responded that they wanted to participate in the class. We have many questions about this survey: which group of students received this survey, what format was used, what questions were asked, was it clear and understandable for students, how many students received the survey, and what was the response rate from the students who received the survey? 

We are concerned that this major alteration to the curriculum was made based on a survey that is not representative of actual student interest or academic need as they currently stand. After learning of the proposed cuts, Mr. Seals was able to reach out to and obtain interest from over thirty additional students. Still, he was told that the December survey was the only metric being considered, and that the district cannot justify offering the course this school year. 

This hasty decision is detrimental to current and future students of Proviso East High School. Preaching the importance of arts and music programming in education shouldn’t be something parents and community have to do in 2021, and frankly, we are outraged. 

Band is a hands-on application of the fundamentals of music education. It strengthens cognitive development, fine motor skills, discipline, rigor, emotional maturity, and persistence. Band teaches self-control and builds strong character and is a safe place where students can develop discipline, teamwork, and the love of music - together. Band is collaborative! It teaches patience, persistence, and responsibility. But you, as educators and advocates for well-rounded education, already know this. 

We thought District 209's new leadership team wanted to launch our students into greatness.

Please look at the following from the District Website - Proviso East High School Core Values:
1. Each student possesses unique individual talents, knowledge, and skills, and their success must always be everyone’s priority. 
2.  Students are successful when school staff, parents, and the community maintain high expectations for all students. 
3. All student outcomes will improve when all stakeholders collaborate with each other. 
4. All students will be provided with a varied and comprehensive educational experience that extends learning beyond the classroom and school.
5. All stakeholders will be committed to creating a positive school environment that is characterized by mutual respect, trust, and honesty.
6. Proviso East High School will prepare all students for the post-secondary options of their choice.
7. Proviso East High School will dedicate itself to innovation, excellence, reflection, compassion, and continuous progress.

The decision to cut the marching band class, especially with such dubious justification, is detrimental to all students in District 209. It is unfair and inequitable that at Proviso West, there is currently about the same amount of participation in band activities as at Proviso East, yet, Proviso West is not facing similar cuts to their music program, and students there will continue to receive class credit for band. The band program also opens up doors to scholarship opportunities that our Pirates will not be offered.

If you have never had the absolute privilege to be in the Proviso East stadium during a football game and listened to the Proviso East Marching Band perform, you are missing out on a sense of Pirate pride and absolute joy that cannot be replaced. The band program compliments the sports program. Can you imagine home games against other schools that will bring their bands to support their teams and East is ill-prepared because they did not have the dedicated class time for practice? How embarrassing.

We demand that the Board of Education share detailed rationale behind this “survey,” reverse this decision and continue to allow Proviso East students the equitable opportunity to involve themselves in creative arts programing through band and enrich themselves, their school and their community.