LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Parents in Fayette County say they were shocked to learn the art program at a local elementary school would be cut next year. Now, they're urging school leaders to reconsider.
Virginia Kerr Zoller has three children at Cassidy Elementary. Her son James's artwork is part of an exhibition at the Living Arts and Science Center.
"It brings warmth to my heart. It is something that makes me proud. I'm always proud of them, but to see how excited they get about how excited we are is just something that means a lot to us," said Kerr Zoller.
She says she and other families were stunned to learn the school was cutting its art program for the upcoming school year.
"When that decision came out, we really were quite taken aback," she said.
The chair of the Fayette County School Board, Tyler Murphy, said there haven't been budget cuts for the art program at the district level. Instead, he said, this is up to Cassidy's School-Based Decision Making Council.
"Every early spring, each school gets staffing allocation based on projected enrollment and then the School-Based Decision Making Council, which includes officials elected by teachers and parents representing folks in that school community, look at the staffing allocations, look at the needs of their school and their community, and then make decisions about, okay, what do those positions look like and how are those jobs going to be classified?" Murphy said.
Murphy said the district is hesitant to get involved in dictating issues like this, instead letting each of their 70 campuses have the autonomy to make those decisions individually. Kerr Zoller thinks it's time for the district to step in. She and other parents are working to appeal the decision.
"We're trying to make sure that this core, fundamental part of their schooling is available and equal to all and the best way to do that is with a proper art teacher," she said.
