To the Editor:

I'm writing to you today because I feel the need to let you know about a few incidents that happened to our family.

My son attends Todd Beamer High School, and my daughter attends Lakota Middle School.

In the last two weeks we have had two separate disturbing issues with the public schools. First I should tell you a little about my kids. They could both be described as over achievers, high academics, responsible, and honest, my son is ASB president (Humanities and Arts Academy) and daughter is ASB vice-president at Lakota, both play instruments proficiently, both have had a lifetime in theater including onstage with the Seattle Opera, and Bellevue Lyric Opera.

We are not a wealthy family, by any means, but have put our children's education and the love of the arts as priority from birth.

Last night, we attended the talent show at Lakota Middle School. My daughter played a classical violin piece.

While as I looked at the program I was confused as to why there was no composers listed by any of the classical pieces the kids were presenting, including the Star Spangled Banner, but all of the pop singers and hip hop dancers, clearly had the artist that made the song famous listed.

And then I was dismayed at seeing a young man playing a classical piece, title listed as "Fear Lease." The student played terrific, but after he performed it I was aghast to realize that it was that most famous piece by Beethoven, Fur Elise, translates to For Elise.

I went to the Principal after the program and asked who had put the program together, one of the Emcee's who happen also to be a Math teacher at Lakota, admitted to putting the program together.

When I pointed out the error, she apologized saying she thought it sounded strange but she put it in anyway.

I was visibly shaken and angry, and the principal responded by saying, "It's just a Middle School talent show, it's not that big a deal," and then she walked away.

Maybe it is just a talent show, but this was an opportunity to teach the kids both in the performance and in the audience, and it shows yet again a clear disregard for the arts.

I was also highly disturbed that they allowed a couple of soloist to sing songs with lyrics that applauded unfaithfulness and shooting a lover.

When I asked the principal why these kids were allowed to sing such offensive lyrics, she only responded that she was a bit bothered by that also, but didn't offer any kind of assurance that it wouldn't happen again.

My kids are where they are today because of the arts and music. Their passion for music, gave them a general passion for learning, which got them through in their case the passionless studies of Math and Science and helped them excel in those areas as well.

The other incident happened when my son told me that the principal of Todd Beamer was going to change the name and the direction of the Humanities and Arts academy to "Global and Economics Academy."

At no time were the students of that academy told about the change by the Administration.

I took my daughter to Decatur's open house, as she will be a freshman next year. At the function, Todd Beamer had a display up, and there, in fact, was the display for the new Global and Economics Academy.

The principal of that academy was there and when I asked her about the change, she said that "the public wants it."

I told her we wouldn't be sending my daughter there because of the change, and expressed my anger as a parent of the Humanities and Arts Academy that we had not been officially informed.

There are two important points to all of this, the first being, if the teachers and administration do not support the arts than how can we expect "the public" to do so also. As ASB President of that Academy, my son had urged the principal to let him take a group of performers to each of the middle schools to encourage enrollment in that academy.

She would have none of it, and clearly has her own agenda as far as the arts are concerned.

The second point is, if the teachers and administrators don't feel that it is important to be accurate in the details of their work, i.e. a talent show program, then how can they expect the students to be careful and accurate in their school work? "Do as I say, not as I do."

I am but one voice, and though I have never been moved to make such a complaint, I can no longer sit by and see our society being destroyed and degraded. I will be sending copies of this letter to everyone I can think of until someone can help me understand why these things are allowed to occur, and no one seems to care.

Jacqueline and Phil Edwards

Federal Way