Brian Hartman, identified as a parent of a sixth grader at Westgate Elementary, told the board the district’s mandatory instrument enrollment for sixth grade “is harmful and does not have an opt out,” adding it “incurs compulsory costs on both parents and students” and alleging an “apparent and absolutely unacceptable conflict of interest” with a vendor he named as Kennelly Keys Corporation.

Hartman said the policy forces time commitments for rehearsals, performances and outside-class practice that conflict with other family commitments and noted that the district’s instrument list did not include several instruments he named. “Forcing students to learn an instrument or be punished and removed from class or failure to do so is an inexcusable behavior on the part of this district,” Hartman said.

Student board advisors pushed back on the parent’s framing. Scarlet, a senior and a student board representative from Edmonds-Woodway, said she benefited from required music instruction and credited it with her musical development and extracurricular connections. “Without the requirement of music in this district, I wouldn't be where I am today,” she told the board, noting she is first-chair cellist of the Edmonds Woodway Philharmonic and that student-run programs provide free tutoring to help lower-income students access instruments and lessons.

District explanation: Dr. Peter Minor, the superintendent, clarified the change was designed to address a loss of classroom instructional time when some sixth graders left class for instrumental lessons. He said general music has long been required in sixth grade; the policy change ensures instructional time is preserved and “actually also saved the district money,” according to a board exchange.

What the board did: The item was raised during public comment; there was no board motion to change the policy at this meeting. Board members and student advisors noted the district has received extensive parent input on music and that measures such as peer tutoring help mitigate cost barriers.

Outstanding details and disputes: Hartman alleged a vendor conflict and said the district discouraged buying instruments from third-party sellers such as Amazon; the board’s public record at this meeting did not include a staff response to the vendor conflict claim beyond the superintendent’s instructional-time explanation. The district’s materials about instrument lists and any official opt-out language were not shown on the record at this meeting.