Letter to the Editor: Don't Rob Our Children of Music

I began my musical journey in the 4th grade. It started with a trumpet, but it grew into a lifelong passion, a career, and most importantly, the means by which I met my wife.

Music was vital in my middle school and high school years. It helped me make friends throughout different "cliques" and it was instrumental in keeping me out of trouble and helping me find a voice within myself.

My musical upbringing at Pine-Richland helped me to get into area Youth Jazz Ensembles, and propelled me into being accepted at a highly accredited music university. I majored in music at college and I worked in musical occupations for most of my life.

The most important impact that music had on my life was when it led me to my wife. She is also a musician and she was raised in a musical environment similar to Pine-Richland.

Both of us performed at an outdoor music event and we got a chance to connect through music. It was one of the most profound moments in my life and without music, it would have been squandered. Music is directly responsible for almost all of the greatest times in my life: My greatest friendships, my greatest memories, and the love of my life.

The thought of my child missing out on these opportunities disgusts me. If my wife and I found that this was the case in our child's upbringing, then we would rather uproot our family and move to a school district that cares about all of its children, not just its athletic ones. Not everyone makes the football team, but everyone on the football team listens to music and they would all be accepted into our musical family if they would choose.

Music teaches valuable lifelong skills, which also have huge impacts on other subjects, such as math and language comprehension.

Please, please, do not rob our children of what is likely to be the greatest asset in their future. 

Carl Costick