Scranton teachers advocate for year-round music and arts education restoration

The Scranton School District Board Meeting on June 2, 2025, was dominated by passionate calls from educators and community members advocating for the reinstatement of year-round music education in middle schools. The discussion highlighted the significant decline in music offerings since budget cuts in 2018, with many speakers emphasizing the critical role music plays in student development.

Angela Ciccarelli, a fifth-grade teacher, urged the board to restore a comprehensive music schedule that would allow students to engage in strings, band, or chorus throughout the entire school year. She pointed out that the current system, which limits music instruction to just 45 days a year, fails to provide students with the necessary time to develop their musical skills. "Music is a skill. You cannot learn and master that skill in 45 days," she stated, advocating for a return to a more robust program that would enable students to participate in winter and spring concerts.

Greg Hulse, a veteran teacher, echoed these sentiments, arguing that music education should not be viewed as an elective but as an essential part of a well-rounded education. He criticized the proposed fifth-grade instrumental rental program, which could impose financial burdens on families, potentially excluding students from participating based on their economic status. "In a time when parents are worried about food on the table, a $20 to $40 fee for music education is impossible for many of our students," he said.

The meeting also addressed broader concerns about the overall curriculum, with educators lamenting the loss of various programs, including gym, health, and foreign languages, since the cuts. Kathleen Beckwith, a sixth-grade teacher, highlighted the need for a unified schedule that integrates fifth graders into the same arts programs as older students, arguing that the current system does not serve the best interests of the students.

As the board considers these appeals, the future of music education in Scranton hangs in the balance, with advocates urging immediate action to restore a vital component of the educational experience for all students. The discussions reflect a growing recognition of the importance of arts education in fostering not only academic success but also social and emotional development among young learners.