Several students and a district music teacher used the public comment period to urge the board to reconsider personnel reductions affecting choir and secondary music programs.

Eliza (student) from ZIP code 97223 described choir as a ‘‘safe space’’ and told the board that cutting the choir position ‘‘will result in huge choir classes of 80 students, which is not fair to the students or the teacher.’’ Eliza said a reduced staffing model would make students feel anonymous and remove leadership and growth opportunities.

Skye Borger (student, ZIP 97223) said choir provided sanctuary during family hardship and urged the board not to ‘‘cut people’s passion’’ or overcrowd classes, describing choir as a critical source of community support.

Emily Keltner Lee, an elementary music teacher, presented district‑level figures: “We currently have 13 music programs in our middle and high schools… Astoundingly, out of our 13 secondary music programs, there are only 3 teachers who are not being touched by these changes… There will be a 40% reduction in music offerings for our students next year alone.” She told the board the cumulative impact of 1.01 FTE reductions across secondary music programs would remove opportunities for hundreds of students and asked the board to explore alternatives that would minimize student impact.

A public commenter, Dennis Warshnak (resident, 97223), expressed support for student athletes and also urged consideration of district budget priorities; he suggested the maintenance budget could be reviewed for flexibility, a comment the board did not act on during the meeting.

Board members did not engage in a dialogue during public comment; the board’s public comment procedures were read at the meeting and members said they would not respond during comments. Several directors later noted the difficult budget tradeoffs underpinning staffing decisions during budget discussion and adoption.