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Parents, teachers and musicians urge Eureka City Schools to keep middle-school jazz band
Summary
Multiple public commenters, including a Winship Middle School music teacher and local musicians, urged the Eureka City Schools board not to eliminate the middle-school jazz band, warning of enrollment timing issues, potential Prop 28 funding implications and harm to the high-school pathway.
Community members urged the Eureka City Schools board to preserve the Winship Middle School jazz band, arguing that cutting the class now would weaken the high-school program and risk misusing arts funding.
"It seems like the district... we've already made the decision to eliminate middle school jazz band," said Lisa Jowane, who teaches music at Winship Middle School, warning that a decision based solely on spring or early-summer enrollment ignores fall sign-ups. Jowane said the district's choice appears to be "based on enrollment" and that cutting a class historically filled in the first week could miss students who register later.
Bettina Garson, a licensed clinical social worker and local musician, urged the board to consider nonacademic benefits of the program, saying, "I've seen it in my work... giving them instruments to play, can change their life directions profoundly." She also warned that state Prop 28 (the Arts and Music in Schools Act) requires funds be used to supplement, not supplant, existing services and said cutting a class that currently receives funding "could put us at risk of financial repercussions."
Dan Goan, a local musician and Cal Poly Humboldt graduate, said removing the middle-school pathway will "take out the rug from the high school program in a couple years," arguing that students develop skills in middle school that sustain high-school and college programs.
During the public-comment exchange, resident John Carter asked whether a proposed merger of the middle- and high-school bands was being planned and urged the board to place the matter on a posted agenda. Staff and board members declined to engage in an extended dialogue during public comment and referred Carter to district staff, including contact information for Jennifer Jonathan, identified in the meeting as the assistant superintendent of educational services, for follow-up.
No formal action or vote on the music program occurred during the meeting. The board opened several required public hearings later in the session (on Education Protection Act expenditures, the 2026–27 budget and the 2026–27 LCAP) but recorded no formal trustee decisions on the jazz program; per the Brown Act, substantive board discussion or action on an item not properly noticed was not held at the meeting.
The issue is expected to remain a matter for future noticed agenda items and staff follow-up; the board indicated its regular meeting schedule will continue on Thursday at 5:30 p.m., where the matter could appear if properly posted.
