From the loving family of Mr. Crawford,
Thank you for your continued support in our effort to rename the South Pasadena High School band room after our father, Howard E. Crawford. Our collaborative commitment to honoring his legacy has been incredible, and we want to update you on our progress.
While the South Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education agreed to add the band room renaming request to the August 13, 2024, board agenda for discussion and acknowledged during this meeting that our father, Mr. Crawford, deserves recognition for his outstanding service and impact, they chose not to move this request forward as a board action item and currently have no plans to reconsider their decision.
View the recorded board meeting webcast here (start 11:00-end 56:15), which includes 24 minutes/8+ public comments from our family, current and former students, parents and community members.
Instead, the board solely recommended a scholarship in his name—which we agree is a commendable initiative and will have a lasting impact on future generations in his honor. That effort is already underway, but separate and completely independent from our request to rename the band room. For context, the scholarship process does not require board action, however per board policy, the decision to rename district facilities is owned completely by the district board but is to include community input.
This decision is disappointing, particularly as the board not only verbally agreed that he is worthy of significant recognition—but they also cited concerns on how the renaming of the band room, could seemingly set an unfair precedent for recognizing decades of service, despite there being clear precedents within the last decade.
Given the existing precedents and district's board policy for renaming facilities after impactful educators, such as the renaming of the South Pasadena Middle School music room and the SPHS auditorium both done within 3-5 month timeframes, it's very challenging to understand how Mr. Crawford's 34-year tenure and contributions significantly differ from these cases.
We find it very difficult to see how our father's impact differs from this and other instances where the board has renamed facilities after deserving, impactful educators much like Mr. Crawford. This tribute would further enhance the reputation of South Pasadena High School and the school district as a regional music and arts powerhouse by highlighting the 34-year journey to success that he played a major role in shaping.
With nearly 900 signatures from current and former students, teachers/faculty, and community members, it is clear that our collective voice is strong, yet it is not being fully heard. While we acknowledge that there have been and will be other deserving teachers, this a growing community-driven request and is clearly aligned with the board’s policy. Mr. Crawford is a once-in-lifetime educator that has contributed greatly to South Pasadena High School, district and community—inspiring countless youth along the way.
So, what other reason could there be for denying our request to rename the SPHS band room in his honor?
What's Next?
We urge the South Pasadena community, especially those with influence and have been personally impacted by our father's legacy, to continue to show up at the upcoming board meetings. Your presence and voice are crucial in challenging this decision and ensuring that Mr. Crawford receives the honor he has undeniably earned, for his immeasurable impact as the longest-serving music director at South Pasadena High School.
Through his tireless efforts and unwavering commitment, he transformed a struggling program into a thriving, sustainable one. In an era where public school funding, student enrollment and teacher retention for instrumental and fine arts programs has seen a significant decline, my dad managed to not only preserve the arts at SPHS but also expand them with the full support of involved music booster parents and community members. Since his retirement, the school district has hired 3 separate teachers to do what my father had successfully done for 34 years leaving them with a music program that is in great shape for hopefully decades to come—additionally, he has been nothing but helpful and a resource to them throughout this very recent transition.
With this said, we will continue to respectfully advocate for what is right and ensure that our efforts lead to a meaningful and lasting tribute to our father, Mr. Crawford's legacy by renaming the SPHS band room. The safe space he cultivated for students to feel seen, heard, understood and inspired for over three decades.
If you are able to join us, the next board meetings are scheduled for:
- September 10, 2024
- October 8, 2024
- November 12, 2024
- December 10, 2024
Please note each board meeting is closed at 5:30pm and opens to the public at 6:30pm. You can arrive early before the public meeting begins (by 6:15pm) to request a 3-minute public commentary time slot at this address:
South Pasadena Unified School District
1100 El Centro Street
South Pasadena, CA 91030
If you are unable to join us an upcoming board meeting due to schedule conflicts or personal reasons, we ask that you continue to share this petition to reach our goal of 1,000 signatures. We're also considering media interviews/coverage and protests, and will share updates as things continue to develop.
Thank you for your unwavering support. And as always keep it funky!