Carstarphen: APS is not axing all music programs

• Joeff Davis/CL File
• APS Superintendent Meria Carstarphen

Atlanta Public Schools’ students and parents are up in arms about the school system’s recent decision to cut some music and arts programs. But APS Superintendent Meria Carstarphen says there has been a misunderstanding of the actual developments.

Although local media reported that APS was dropping elementary school music programs — 11 Alive included a heartfelt interview with a distraught former music teacher — Carstarphen says most kids will be able to keep on strummin’.

“Due to incorrect information circulating, there is a lot of confusion about the status of music and the arts in our schools,” she says. “In fact, some are suggesting that Atlanta Public Schools simply eliminated all music and arts in one fell swoop. We have not.”

Cuts are being made. Next school year, APS will be down about 18 band and orchestra teachers, which will leave some 40 band and orchestra teachers remaining.

“Those schools are instead using their staffing allocations for positions elsewhere in their school based on the needs of the students,” says Carstarphen.

Some schools have elected to “share teachers” with other schools while others dropped band and orchestra due to lack of student interest. Carstarphen added that every APS elementary school will continue to offer general musical instruction and can continue to pursue musical instrument studies in middle school and high school.

“In regards to other fine arts, we will provide, at the minimum, visual arts at all school levels — adding performing arts in high school,” she writes.