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Retired teacher urges board to restore theater arts staffing after perceived decline
Summary
A retired Gaston County Schools teacher asked the board to consider restoring theater arts and dance teachers across the district after citing a dramatic reduction in full-time positions over two decades.
GASTONIA, N.C. — During the public expression portion of the May 19 Gaston County Board of Education meeting, a retired high school math teacher urged the board to increase theater arts staffing and programming across the district.
Martha Stowe, a retired Gaston County Schools high school math teacher who identified herself as living in Belmont, told the board Belmont Abbey College had received $9,000,000 to build a fine arts performing center and suggested that the county's public schools had not matched that level of investment. "Belmont Abbey has received $9,000,000 to build a fine arts performing center," Stowe said. "It probably will cost close to $60,000,000 by the time it's complete."
Nut graf: Stowe argued the district has fewer full-time theater and dance teachers now than in the past and asked the board to consider funding and program changes so all 13 high schools can offer comprehensive theater arts opportunities.
Stowe said the county once had 13 theater and dance teachers at the high school level but currently has "two full-time teachers in the county schools at the high school level for our 13 high schools," and she asked the board to consider ways to add funding and staff. She told the board that charter schools and private schools had outperformed district teams at regional theater competitions and said students should have access to full programs in every high school. She described the benefits of theater for students and recounted learning and career examples from past programs.
Board procedure context: The board's public expression rules, read earlier by the chair, limit speakers to three minutes and request that board members not respond during the comment period. After Stowe finished, the chair thanked her and the meeting proceeded to the next agenda item.
Ending: Stowe urged the board to "please consider what we could do to add funding" for theater arts and to restore opportunities so students across Gaston County Schools can participate in comprehensive theater programs.
