Sistema Toronto is deeply concerned about the proposed defunding of academic and community programs at the Toronto District School Board. At Sistema Toronto, we take direct action to shift inequalities and remove barriers that young people face when accessing music education within Toronto – particularly amongst racialized communities. Access to music education allows students to explore their interests, gain valuable social emotional skills, build confidence and perseverance, develop musical literacy skills to understand messages and ideas in music, and express themselves artistically. We observe daily how the act of learning in a group music-making environment enhances student wellbeing through community building, artistic expression, and social justice. There is also considerable research showing that music education supports academic success in all subject areas.
The proposed cuts would directly contradict the TDSB’s values: to support every student’s interests, strengths, passions, identities, and perspectives. Instead, these cuts would create barriers to opportunity for students in underserved and marginalized communities, damage accountability and innovation, and deny students the opportunity to learn from highly skilled and diverse staff. This decision will have the largest impact on the most vulnerable members of our communities, furthering racial and economic divides in our city. Sistema Toronto understands the TDSB and Ministry of Education’s need to be accountable to the people of Ontario while remaining fiscally responsible, but strongly urges that this does not come at the expense of Toronto’s students, especially those who have the least access to opportunity.