Administration - Dennis Argul

On Friday, December 3, 2021, at the NJ Music Administrators Association general membership meeting, held in a hybrid setting, Ms. Latasha Casterlow-Lalla, newly appointed NJMAA Board member and Supervisor of the Visual and Performing Arts for the Passaic Public Schools, provided an evocative presentation on the topic of Diversity and Equity in the Arts.

The presentation covered a myriad of topics which included: Arts Education being a Human and Civil Right, defining Diversity and Equity, a breakdown of the racial makeup of NJ students and educators, Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, a Collective Conversation on Culture, a renewed look at the NJSLS and SEL Standards and Building a Capacity for Culturally Responsive Pedagogy at the building and district levels.

Suffice to say, the presentation led to lively discussion and reflection from the membership and there are plans to advance this discussion not only for the remainder of this academic year, but well beyond as we continue our efforts to remain intentional as an association in providing our members with the information they need to lead their music faculty more effectively.

I decided to continue the discussion with Ms. Casterlow-Lalla, who often refers to herself as Arts Educator, District Leader, Innovator, and Disrupter in the Arts. We met via zoom on Wednesday, 1/5/22 and what follows is a summary of our discussion.

DA: First of all, congratulations to you on your appointment to the NJMAA Board! It is great to have you as a member and I look forward to our continued collaboration.

LCL: I am so excited to learn and grow with this great group of colleagues from across the state. It's been a pleasure getting to know and reacquaint myself with the team.

DA: I am also thrilled to have had you present on this topic for our members and you had a lot of information to share with us. What do you think is the most important, most pressing issue for NJMAA to consider as what our members might need for support and consideration?

LCL: That is a big question which requires a tiered approach. First, educators must connect with students through knowledge about the students and communities they serve. This requires educators to gain an understanding of the values, perspectives and connections to music for their community beyond the legacy of the school music department. Connecting with our students is an essential component of our work followed by supporting their instruction with standards and musical knowledge. Second is exploring our student musicians' interests and what draws them to a vast variety of genres. This knowledge will support teachers in connecting students’ interests to the school program. Musical taste is an expression of lived experiences even if we as individuals do not identify with the music. Creating space for students to articulate their musical taste enables them to make connections with genres they learn in school with music that moves them as individuals. Our students are equipped with unique perspectives of the world and desire to feel their opinions heard and valued. Lack of these opportunities can lead to enrollment dips in our programs since students have so many more choices for programs and activities. NJMAA can continue to work with its members to support educators in meeting these needs.

DA: As we look at your slide with the NJ Enrollment numbers which lists the racial backgrounds of the teachers in NJ vs. the students in NJ, how can we get more of our students who represent the racial background of the students in the state to become music educators and administrators in NJ so that the ratios in the breakdowns are lessened and the students see themselves in their music teachers and arts administrators?

LCL: The shift in our state’s student population has been quite remarkable over the past two decades. When you review the 2020 - 2021 data available on the NJDOE website, it reveals that 58.98% of our students enrolled at schools across the state are composed of Asian, American Indian, Black, Hawaiian/Native, Hispanic and Two or More Races. Meanwhile, the total number of certified staff members from the same subgroups total 17.6%. As an educational community, we have to reflect on intentionality to ensure students have educational access to post secondary studies beginning in our K-12 learning environments. Awareness is key to making an impact within the field of music education. During my presentation, I discussed the difference between Individualistic and Collectivistic cultures. There is a critical need to learn about the students we serve and how our community values are similar as well as how they may differ. In an individualistic culture, the

belief is, ‘I succeed…I make it’. Success may be valued by the single individual. In a collectivistic culture, the belief is, ‘I succeed…we make it.’ My success is my entire family’s success, for example. Gaining a clear perspective on community norms as well as the possible intersectionality of these two cultural thoughts can be beneficial for educators to know.

Categories % White % Black % Hispanic % Asian % American Indian % Hawaiian Native

% Two or More Races Certified Staff 82.4 7.3 7.7 2.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 NJ Students 41.03 14.8 30.75 10.52 0.16 0.2 2.55

DA: Let’s extend that conversation and what can you and I do? What can our association do to work with universities to help address inequities with regard to global population students successfully auditioning for their schools?

LCL: One approach I am exploring is offering a 4 hour symposium to address this very topic. I hope to bring music educators together, from all levels of K-12 to the collegiate level, including teacher preparation programs, so we can collectively reflect on how our programs can do more to inspire a wide variety of students to want to pursue music education, with the accessibility to match.

Access to a high quality music education with appropriate resources for every student across the state needs to be a primary goal of all of our organizations. As educators, we have a responsibility to create a safe learning environment that is open to all students throughout the year, without limitations. Our students have unlimited access to embrace the cultures of the world through the internet and social media. Sharing the joy and creative possibilities within our content inclusive of music technology, deejaying, composition, modern band, concert band, chorus, orchestra and more, is the key to reaching all students. Embracing the wealth of musical genres in our classrooms and repertoire demonstrates the cultures of our students, parents and communities, validating the importance of cultural responsive arts education to every student we serve.

DA: What do you believe to be the next steps so that this discussion remains a part of the fabric of what we continue to work on here in the state of NJ and improve in the areas of Diversity and Equity, Inclusion and Understanding?

LCL: Intentional conversations are necessary at every level to embrace and welcome the diverse perspectives of the students we serve. We need to connect the music we use for learning to the music the students experience in every aspect of their lives. This is ultimately how music programs reflect and represent the diverse student body that makes up our state. It is everyone’s collective responsibility.

Here are the NJMAA remaining general membership meetings and topics:

4/1/22 A Multifaceted Approach to SEL in the Arts - Facilitator: Shawna Longo, Hopatcong Borough Schools

6/3/22 Roundtable, Topic TBA

For further information or assistance, contact our Treasurer, Lou Quagliato: lquagliato@westorangeschools.org (973) 669-5400 ext. 20570