CATAWISSA RR - The Southern Columbia Area High School library was packed Monday night, when nearly 180 students, alumni, teachers, parents, booster representatives and concerned citizens piled into the room to rally against rumors that the music department is on chopping block.
"The students heard about it and wanted it known that the music department should not be touched," Lori Kriebel, of the SCA Music Boosters, said prior to the meeting. "They want their voices heard, and we're here to support them."
To many of the students, this is their lives, she said.
Joan Willhoit, president of the boosters, said, "It's their home in the school.
"Every child needs a home," she said.
Both women have children in the music department in the middle and the high school programs.
"This is a safe haven for them," Kriebel said.
The music students made sure their voices were heard by singing "We Will Fight" by Charles Master in the hallways before the meeting.
Alecia Slagle, 17, a senior, explained she entered the music program when she was young, and it allowed her a place to express her feelings.
"Some people do need a home, and music is my home," she said.
Lydia Young, 18, a senior, shared the same sentiment.
"Music is a passion that's just as important as education. We all need a family at this school, and this is our family," she said.
The song was chosen because of its rallying message.
"Especially during these times when schools are cutting things like music, we will not give up without a fight. We believe it's important," Young said.
Superintendent Charlie Reh addressed the crowd's concerns early in the meeting, stressing that no decision had been made - in fact, there was nothing concerning the music department on the agenda.
"I was directed at a meeting to come up with recommendations. That's all this is; recommendations to reduce the budget," Reh said.
The deficit is caused by no increase in state subsidy and an increase of $250,000 in pension funds, $200,000 in health care costs, $275,000 in salary increases and $125,000 in building project debt, with the additional fuel, maintenance and normal operating costs increasing by at least $100,000.
Even if taxes are raised by 2.2 percent, the maximum amount allowed by Act 1, that's only $125,000 in new revenue and more than $900,000 is still needed to balance the budget, he said.
The cuts to the music department were on a long list of recommendations from Reh to make up a budget shortfall of $1.1 million. However, there's a misconception the music department would be eliminated. Rather, he said, teachers would be shuffled around to save money, meaning there may be fewer teachers in the music department.
"There are no guarantees," Reh said.
The board is also considering reducing paraprofessionals for special education, switching insurance providers and increasing taxes.
"The less we tax, the more cuts there will be," Reh said.
Throughout the meeting, Willhoit, Slagle and citizens voiced their opinions.
"I'm begging you not to cut the music department budget," Slagle said to the board.
Eventually, the discussions centered on whether Letha Stone, who teaches various music programs, would lose her job and whether the teacher who would replace her would devote as much time and effort into Gospel Choir, Encore and school plays.
"Will they be able to do all this?" Willhoit asked.
She acknowledged the need for budget cuts, but she said, "Don't take away their voice."
Warren Merkel, a chemistry teacher who resigned recently in anticipation of losing his job to budget cuts, asked why taxes should not be raised to meet the deficit.
"If we're the lowest taxing region in the area, something's wrong because we're the highest performing," he said.
He told the board that they had the tools to fix everything without cutting programs.
"I don't even know why that's a question," he said.