At the District XII Choral Festival held at Chantilly (VA) High School in March, visiting choirs, teachers, and parents were greeted by a display featuring MENC’s Petition for Equal Access to Music Education. Scores of signatures were collected on petitions over the weekend, and participants learned more about MENC’s efforts to protect and expand music education programs across the country.
Chantilly choir parent Scott Nurmi assisted in the effort by photographing people signing the petition. He added the photos and information about the Three Ways to Change Music Education to the Chantilly Choir Web site to help spread the word. Nurmi said he and his wife “strongly believe in music education.”
Photo by Scott Nurmi
Chantilly music educators Michael Fuchs, Glenn Cockrell, Keith Taylor, Drew Ross, and Aaron Mynes, all MENC members, participated in the onsite petition drive.
MENC members are encouraged to display petitions at district festivals and spring concerts. The paper petition deadline is May 15, 2009.
In addition, the petition can be signed and circulated online right up to the June 18, 2009 Rally for Music Education.
—Elizabeth Lasko, April 3, 2009. © MENC: The National Association for Music Education
