Opinions Differ on Changes to Fox Point-Bayside Schools' Arts, Music, Gym Programs

About 150 parents and teachers turned out Monday for a Fox Point-Bayside School Board meeting to voice . 

The proposed changes for the 2013-14 school year would reduce fifth-and sixth-grade physical education class time by 17 percent; fifth-and sixth-grade art and general music programs by 38 percent; and technology class time by 38 percent, according to Superintendent Rachel Boechler. 

Some Patch users echoed comments made at Monday night's meeting, while others said they felt they needed more information before drawing a conclusion.

Here's what some users had to say:

Emily Vaill Pfaff: This is alarming news when so much has been documented that fine arts and physical education benefit a child in every way as they develop into healthy adults. Better math and reading scores, lower incidence of obesity, in a country with an alarming childhood obesity epidemic? Living in the neighbor district of Maple Dale/Indian Hill, how will these decisions affect property value rates? Will families go elsewhere knowing that FP/Bayside does not value these all-important aspects of education and mental and physical health? It does raise the question of consolidation again...with so much financial challenge to education, wouldn't we be stronger together than standing apart?

Craig: One-sided emotional pleas are counter-productive to the serious business of managing the resources available to the school district. The mis-information/incomplete information that was circulated to the parents prior to this meeting by a few upset parents/teachers served their purpose to inflame a passionate, emotional knee jerk response from the public. There is more to the story. Instead of responding in a manipulated, emotional manner, parents need to request the full report and then identify what trades offs they'd like to see. Some of the behaviour Monday night was uncivil and smacks of the irrational recall efforts and other political shenanigans we've observed in WI the last several years. Let us handle ourselves with comportment and intelligence people by behaving in a civil and respectful manner.

Conservative Mom: I'm a confused parent and don't feel I have all the information. 1) We know school funding has been cut...therefore we need to either increase revenue or cut expenses. We can't raise revenue because Walker put a freeze on the property taxes.We may be able to do a referendum? Therefore, our option right now is to cut expenses. The school made a choice...cut the arts, gym, technology...instead of math/science/english. What should they do instead? To me, the school board and admin have their hands tied. Where should they get the money? Can they renegotiate health insurance benefits like other school systems? We're upset at the school board...but did they have other options? And if so, what? Other schools implement art/athletics/computer programs after school by outsourcing those programs...they actually make revenue off it. What should the school board have done? Please understand, I'm just asking--not taking a side.

C. Claibourne: Look, we all care passionately about our kids and their education. No one, and I mean no one, is saying that arts, music and PE are unimportant. And to make clear, the proposal does not get rid of this programming - it is a modest reduction to make time for other requirements. But if someone has a better idea of what to reduce or can find the money to extend the school day to accommodate all these needs, God bless you and bring iPod plan forward.

Ann Allen: I am a middle school teacher in a Nicolet feeder school where administrators and teachers together have collaborated to come up with a schedule that accomodates the mandated "flex" period (known as RTI-Response to Intervention in my distrcit). It is designed as a time to intensely intervene with students who are not achieving at grade level in subjects such as math and reading or to stretch already high achieving students. The point I tried to make at the meeting is that it IS possible to come up with a schedule that makes room for the additional intervention time required without sacrificing "specials" like art, music and tech. Let me also say that it is very difficult to come up with a schedule!!!!! We have been in the RTI process for several years now and it will always be a work in progress. I encouraged Bayside to go back to the drawing board to work on a schedule that does not water down the arts. As the Nicolet art teacher pointed out, what makes our schools special compared to so many other school districts is that we value the arts and having choices for our children so we continue to provide them with a rich education. As we are forced to kowtow to the almighty standardized tests, I fear that our schools will become nothing but a monotonous and boring experience for children focused on just the three R's for future generations and lacking in an outlet for creativity, artistic expression and physical exercise.