District cuts lead to end of a Christmas concert

Budget cuts and a desire to continue an emphasis on education and technology has led Libby Elementary School to cut the fourth- and fifth-grade Christmas concert.

“We used to teach art and music (at this level),” Goodman said. “Now we teach art and technology.”

Goodman said with an ever-increasing emphasis on student development toward math, sciences and technology, the decision was made to trim the music program for fourth- and fifth-graders.

“We still have the concerts for the upper grades,” Goodman said.

Goodman was asked whether the cuts to the Christmas concert program is in response to a move at the Head Start program away from holidays.

“We feel it is important to teach about the holidays,” Goodman said. “If we don’t teach the holidays who will. Everyone knows the words to Silent Night. If we don’t teach it, we leave it up to pop culture to teach our children. Do we want our kids to know the Miley Cyrus version of Silent Night?”

Goodman reinforced the urgency of teaching science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) classes even at elementary school.

“It’s not like we can spend a (whole) day teaching holidays,” Goodman said. “If we do, we’ll have parents keeping their kids at home that day.”

Superintendent K.W. Maki supports Goodman’s balance on curriculum.

“Yes, the concerts were cut for budget reasons,” Maki said.

He said there is support for teaching holidays at school.

“We realize our enrollment is 90 to 95 percent Christian,” Maki said.