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Work for a candidate you know will make good on his/her promises to provide adequate and stable school funding. Help defeat the next onslaught of anti-education, antiteacher initiatives. Many of us grew up in Oregon. Many of us were attracted to Oregon for its beauty, its progressive environmental legislation, and its schools. In my opinion, the Oregon we love is transforming, at an alarming pace, into the home of the meanspirited, anti-tax pundit, the “I’ve got mine” voter who refuses to consider the legacy we will impart to our children, and the callous champions of the notion that students are merely “products”—future consumers and workers—destined to mirror the societal value system handed them.

As music educators, we experience and live the miracle of our vocations. We know that quality music programs provide children the psychological/spiritual nourishment unattainable through any other source.

Smaller school districts across Oregon have been forced to cut music programs entirely. Sad examples are the Condon and Fossil Districts. Both communities, only a few years ago, supported music programs, grades K-12. Both communities were proud of their band programs, and all K-8 students were involved in music classes. Drastic reductions in property tax revenues have severely impacted the opportunities once afforded students in these small districts. There is simply no funding available for full-time music teachers. Given the funding crisis, it is likely, in the current budget biennium, further cuts will be made to already sub-standard district operations. The Portland School District has suffered enormous cuts to all its arts programs. We can all, sadly, add to the list.

Ours is a participatory democracy. If every music educator in the state lobbied his/her legislator, supported those candidates who have truly demonstrated a pro-education voting record and worked for stable school funding, quality music programs in all our schools just might become a priority. If every Oregon parent demanded adequate school funding and lobbied and worked for music in every school, our dream might be realized. Holding educators accountable has been in vogue the past several years. The CIM/CAM legislation holds teachers accountable for state test scores. The President of the United States has said national testing must be implemented to hold us and our students accountable. School districts are account-able to the Oregon Department of Education and State Legislature to implement the CIM/CAM Standards (never mind the fact that CIM/ CAM bill legislation was contingent upon adequate funding). I respectfully submit that we begin holding all of our elected officials accountable to their campaign promises to provide a stable, adequate means to support our schools. Our children, grandchildren, and beyond will hold us accountable for the legacy we impart to them. I sincerely hope we pass the test.