East High Band Program Faces Cuts, Students Fight Back

0:00It's April 23rd. This is Anchorage News Today, AI-powered stories from your city. I'm Corey with the story. Betty Davis East High School in Anchorage is losing its entire band program next year. The school's only band director, Todd Barton, is getting transferred to another spot as part of major budget cuts. Without him, all five band classes vanish, hitting over a hundred kids who signed up. Voters just turned down a one-year tax hike that could have saved programs like this. Now the district is slashing nearly 500 jobs from teachers to aides and shuffling more than 200 educators around to plug the holes. East High had to cut 13 positions across every subject. Students are heartbroken, with some sobbing on their teacher for minutes after hearing the news. Band gave them a real sense of belonging, helping through tough times like depression and anxiety. It built confidence, teamwork, and even turn loners into leaders. Data backs it up. Data classes boost attendance, grades, and graduation rates by rewiring brains for quicker

1:02thinking and better focus. Barton calls it magic, watching kids grow mentally and emotionally through the grind of practice. Kids aren't giving up. They're firing off letters and essays to lawmakers while still playing through the tears. Barton plans to keep directing wherever he lands, hoping his crew finds ways to keep the beat alive.