Music teacher dilemma at Gulf Coast High School leaves students anxious

Reporter: Amy Galo
Published: Updated:
music teacher
CREDIT: GULF COAST HIGH SCHOOL

Parents are outraged, and students are unsure what the future holds after one of their two beloved music teachers was told they will have to transfer.

The band and orchestra teachers at Gulf Coast High School were told one of them would have to leave.

A letter parents got from the principal cites lower student numbers as the reason for the staffing change.

The letter states enrollment at Gulf Coast High is expected to be 1,600 students next year.

While there were about 450 students in the music program five years ago, those numbers have dropped to 265 students requesting the same program in 2024.

“If you just cut the program down to one teacher, there are 11 music classes taught at Gulf Coast,” said Cherie Came, the band boosters vice president. “There are seven periods a day, and they’re only allowed to teach for six, so that means five things have to go. The orchestra teacher is not capable of putting together a halftime show, and the band director is not a chorus teacher.”

Students and parents WINK News spoke with don’t see how that’s possible, and that’s why around 30 students and parents met to defend their teachers.

Due to the drop, the band or orchestra teacher has to go. Nevertheless, the school district made it clear that no programs are getting cut.

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