[NEohioPAL] PLEASE READ~Brookyln High School Drama Club in Danger of Being Cut Due to Levy Failure

[Christy Prince]

Dear Friends in the Arts,

              My Name is Christine Prince and I had the pleasure of
Choreographing the Spring Musicals at Brooklyn High School for the past two
seasons.  It came to my attention over the course of their rehearsals for
the show this year that if  the Levy did not pass in their community the
Drama Club and Show Choir would be cut as well as a number of academic
clubs.  In addition to these cut backs their Band would no longer play at
away games and they may even loose their choir teacher and band/orchestra
teacher.  This would leave the kids who are involved in performance arts no
avenue for success.  I'm sure it doesn't surprise many of you, however,
that in the Board of Education's plans for cut backs their is no mention of
cutting any sports except for JV cheerleading.  In fact they are planning on
keeping JV and Varsity Sports and even cutting a foreign language and some
science classes. Well the Levy didn't pass the first time around!
             As their teacher and an Arts Advocate I felt it was my duty to
try my best to come up with a solution for the students at least in the
Drama Club.  Many of them come from lower income families, who will not have
the ability to seek out a Theater or Music education for their child if the
community does not provide it.  So on Tuesday, April 15 I attended a Board
of Education meeting at Brooklyn High School and addressed not only the
issues I have just discussed in this letter but also offered up some
potential solutions. My suggestion to the School Board in the event that the
Levy does not pass when it is brought up again in August was this: In the
event that the students and parents formed a 501(c)3 community theater group
will the School Board allow that group access to the funds already raised
over the past 6 years by the Brooklyn High School Drama Club?  I also
implored the School Board in this situation to donate the space of the
auditorium and all of it's equipment to the new community theater, under the
arrangement that the they would have an insurance policy of $1 Million and
would cover the overhead expenses when they were using the theater.
           The School Board not only refused to answer any of my questions
on the record but after the meeting I was told by the President of the
School Board that they would not even consider alternative measures to
providing the arts to these kids until the Levy did not pass in August. I
was also told after the meeting that the reason the sports where not put on
the chopping block was because they are so much harder to reinstate due to
school game schedules and that clubs were much easier to get back up an
running.  I was also told that the reason some classes were being considered
to be cut and sports kept was the problem of keeping kids off the street.
This was however all told to me after the TV camera was off and the meeting
adjourned.
          Why am I writing all of you?  Because I think as an arts community
we need to stick together.  I am going to continue fighting for these kids
rights to the arts and I am hoping that come August, if the Levy has again
failed in Brooklyn , you will all be behind these kids too.  Any one who has
any comments or suggestions or ideas for me on this matter is more than
welcome to email me.  I also felt every one should know about the decisions
that our local public schools are making in concerns to their arts programs
        I hope it does not come down to needing these sort of measures in
Brooklyn, however I am confident that if it does the community will surround
these kids will encouragement and assistance.
Thank you,

        Christine A. Prince
        Theater Education Coordinator
        Solon Center for the Arts
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