Alhambra parents protest orchestra program cuts

Tri-City and All City String Orchestra Director Curtis Richardson, front right. 1Tri-City and All City String Orchestra Director Curtis Richardson, front right.
May 17, 2012 Esmee Xavier Community Contributor

Parents protested reports that the Alhambra Unified School District was cutting the award-winning Tri-City and All City String Orchestra programs at this week's board meeting. The Concerned VAPA (Visual and Performing Arts) Parents Association spoke out on the decision, hoping to rally together to save the programs. "As parents, we must not take for granted what 'being in orchestra' means to our children," they wrote in an e-mail that circulated before the meeting urging parents to attend. "If this is allowed to happen, these wonderful and critically essential core music programs will no longer be available to our children after the end of this school year!"

The School Board responded that reports of cutting the program were a misunderstanding and that it is undergoing a staffing issue because Director Curtis Richardson, who has guided the program for the past 20 years, is retiring. 

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About the author: Esmee Xavier
Esmeé received her B.A. in Modern Literature from UC Santa Cruz. She currently works for a non-profit organization, helping high schools in the SGV to promote student leadership and social justice education.
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