Mesa Public Schools has put forward plans to eliminate the option for general music class in grades 4, 5 and 6. 4th Grade will now be an "exploratory" band and orchestra where all 4th graders have the opportunity to experience these performing arts; in 5th and 6th grade, students will be given the opportunity to continue band or orchestra (losing that whole 4th grade year of real instruction) or opt for media center...opt, meaning they will have to miss their library time to participate in music.

This petition seeks to protect the offering of a general music class in all schools during grades 4, 5 and 6. Music Education is a core necessity - an irreplaceable component of a holistic and meaningful education. Music makes a difference for the students of Mesa Public Schools.

Why is this important? Because music, especially the art of singing, is important for all children. Cutting music from these crucial grades will result in further jeopardizing the future of Mesa Public Schools, drastically affecting enrollment in the Jr. High School and High School music programs.

MPS has a storied legacy spanning decades of musical excellence, on both the state and national level. Our district has received a national award for Best Community for Music Education from NAMM, and this is just the beginning of the list of accolades. For years, MPS students on the Jr. High and High School level receive the top chairs in Regionals and All State competitions for Choir, Orchestra and Band. Our elementary students also make up an elite honor Choir, Orchestra and Band where they get the chance to perform every year at our beautiful Mesa Arts Center, learning and performing stunning repertoire at a much higher level than their age.

It is also worth noting: MPS spent 50 million dollars on a music facility at Mountain View using our tax dollars. Our community should have programs to fill that facility and keep families who love music sending their children to our schools, versus choosing to leave the public school system and join one of the many charters now available to them…only leading to even more potential cuts for our public education, reducing it truly to a shell of what it once was.

It should also be noted that there are multiple studies showing how music positively affects young brain development, and the numbers don’t lie: if you want your students’ math and literacy scores to go up, you need to keep the music program intact! We feel there are many other ways to offer more interrupted classroom instruction which are not being explored. 

Will you stand with us on the right side of history and sign our petition, and help us reach our goal to show the Mesa Superintendency that we do NOT want this happening? We are reaching out to MPS parents, teachers, kids and alumni, standing strong to keep music in MPS where it belongs, and fight these proposed cuts. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!