Students, parents and educators in Greater Victoria are making musical and political statements this week.
Bands at various schools in the Greater Victoria School District are holding musical and information protests Thursday (April 22) in reaction to proposed cuts to elementary and middle band programs, part of SD61’s efforts to deal with a $7 million budget deficit.
At Central Middle School in Victoria, an outdoor recording session will see about 100 Grade 6 students in uniform led by music teacher Paul Spelt playing between 2 and 2:40 p.m., followed by a sidewalk protest nearby at the corners of Fernwood Road and Yates and Fort streets, from 3 to 4:30 p.m.
READ MORE: SD61’s proposed $7 million cuts threaten equity and inclusion, say parents, teachers
Band students at Cedar Hill Middle School in Saanich held a warmup protest outside their school Monday, playing their instruments and holding signs calling for band programs to be retained.
The school is one of 14 in SD61 whose music students and supporters will be on the sidewalks in protest starting at 3 p.m. near their schools.
Others taking part in this demonstration of solidarity at major intersections include Spectrum, Reynolds, Mount Doug, Esquimalt, Oak Bay and Vic High secondaries; Glanford, Shoreline, Lansdowne and Monterey middle schools, and Braefoot, George Jay and Lakehill elementaries.
ALSO READ: Students protest proposed cuts to SD61 music programs
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