Jun 5, 2015 2 min read

“Music is our priority” – this was the quote from Peters Township School District’s superintendent. However, the PTSD school board, upon the superintendent’s recommendation, unanimously furloughed two music teachers. Music is our priority. I think not! This is a travesty, but what you really need to know is what these two teachers taught. They are both string specialists, which now leaves the string program in jeopardy. Keep in mind the superintendent’s quote, “music is our priority.”

So what does the district do? They assign another teacher whose speciality is not strings. So how do they get around this? They use the state music certification that states all music teachers are certified to teach music K-12 in any genre (band, chorus, general music, orchestra). The string program was served by a string specialist for 35 years and now this is the district’s answer to its former legacy of excellence. Superior music programs do not hide behind the K-12 certification, they do what is best for the student. The superintendent blames the union for this move. The union has not a care in the world as to a teacher’s specialization, it’s purely seniority. The only thing I can analogize it to is if I needed a heart bypass operation, I would not go to a neurosurgeon! However, the superintendent would tell you they both have a degree in medicine, so you will be fine. It is unconscionable how you can not see the importance of having a string specialist teach the string program. But, “music is our priority?”

John DeFazio

Venetia

DeFazio was a Peters Township School District music teacher from 1970-2002.