Art, Music Could Be Coming Back To Cash-Strapped East Ramapo Elementary Schools
SPRING VALLEY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - Plans are in the works for art and music classes to return to East Ramapo Central School District elementary schools next year.
As WCBS 880's Sean Adams reported, New York elementary schools are required by state law to provide art and music instruction.
But before the start of this school year, the cash-strapped district in Rockland County eliminated those classes to help close a multi-million dollar budget deficit.
Art, Music Could Be Coming Back To Cash-Strapped East Ramapo Elementary Schools
This week, parent David Curry from Spring Valley filed an official complaint with the New York State Department of Education. In an about-face, the district reportedly plans to revive art and music not with specialists, but rather as part of social studies.
As a result, some of the teachers will require retraining, Adams reported.
"Frankly, until the board agrees to do it, provides funding to do it, and the training actually takes place, and the children actually start receiving instruction, it's a bit of an empty promise and we've heard those before. So I'm hopeful but I'm a little skeptical," Curry told Adams. "To just sort of arbitrarily cut things out just isn't acceptable."
Curry's complaint stands as the DOE reviews the curriculum.
"Right now, at least in my mind, this is just another empty promise. They could either fill it up and deliver it or it can fall by the wayside and we'll just be in the same situation," Curry said.
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