West Chicago students press for mariachi as district pledges staged rollout

Julieta Garcia, a liaison to the Culture and Arts Commission, and several students asked the Community High School District 94 board on July 15 to restore a high school mariachi course and make it a credit-bearing class rather than a club. The district acknowledged prior course approvals and a short-lived class a decade ago, and officials said they will start a student club this fall and pursue a semester-length course for the 2026–27 school year if sufficient student demand materializes. Community relevance: The speakers said mariachi supports cultural identity in a majority-Latino community and lines up with programs at Lehman Middle School. In public comment, Julieta Garcia described sustained student interest and urged the board to “uplift the diversity of West Chicago by providing programs just like mariachi music.” Student speakers provided petitions and signed interest forms and said Lehman Middle School already offers mariachi as a scheduled class. Superintendent (identified in the meeting as Kurt) told the board the district’s records show a mariachi course was created around 2010–12, ran for a year or two, and was discontinued around 2013–14 due to declining enrollment. He said Lehman Middle School started a strong mariachi program in 2016–17 and that renewed student interest had prompted parents and students to petition the district. “As much passion as I’m looking at in the young adults in the back … if there’s enough students that sign up for the class, we’re running it,” the superintendent said, describing a phased approach that starts with a club and may add a semester course once course requests are submitted in October–November. District staff said the course is already on the district’s curriculum records, which removes one step from the approval path. Administrators said they will need teacher professional development and some instrument/equipment purchases if the course is offered; Superintendent said staff would price any needed equipment and return to the board with estimates. Board members asked for clarity about the club-sponsorship and activities process — which the superintendent said stems from the collective bargaining agreement — and requested that administration present the club/activities start-up process at the August Committee of the Whole. The superintendent also asked students to recruit peers because the course requires a minimum enrollment to run: historically the division head estimated a practical minimum of eight students and an ideal target of about 15 for a semester course. No formal board vote was taken on creating the class. The board approved the plan the superintendent described: start a club this fall, pursue professional development for staff, and, if student requests meet the district’s enrollment thresholds during the October–November course request period, add the course for the 2026–27 schedule. If implemented, administrators said the course would be scheduled and promoted like other elective courses and included in eighth-grade outreach and transition nights so incoming students can register interest before the semester planning cycle. Planning and next steps: the superintendent said Dr. Pollo will meet with the activities director this fall to start the club and work with the music division head on a course proposal and professional development timeline. Instrument and equipment needs will be priced and presented to the board when available. The district did not specify a budget for equipment or the exact professional-development costs; administration said it would report back when estimates are prepared.