Tucsonans are trying to save elementary school arts programs in response to Tucson Unified School District budget cuts.
Dennis Bourret, chairman of the ad hoc organization Citizens for Arts Education, is circulating a petition urging the TUSD School Board and administration to allocate money for the arts.
At press time, Bourret estimated that he had more than 2,000 signatures.Bourret worries that the number of schools losing their music programs may signify the beginning of a ripple effect. So far, 30of TUSD's 73 elementary schools have lost music programs.
"It's real scary, what's going on here," he said. "A whole bunch of districts could [eventually] skin it down to bare bones with sports, arts, theater, music—all on the chopping block."
Bourret said he has seen similar budget cuts in school districts near San Diego, and the result was a "cultural wasteland."
Bourret, who is also the director of the Tucson Junior Strings, is also pushing for Tucson voters to pass Prop 100 in the statewide ballot on May 18. Prop 100 is the proposed temporary 1 cent sales tax increase that would help stabilize the budget, with a portion of the money earmarked for education.
Bourret said Tucsonans should look past partisan politics in favor of young people.
"Nobody likes paying taxes, but the alternative is worse," he said.
