Alhambra Vows to Retain Arts Program : Education: The decision was music to the ears of 300 students and parents who feared the classes would be lost to budget cuts.

The Alhambra City school board unanimously pledged Tuesday night to save the district’s elementary art and education programs.

The surprise action was spontaneous and overwhelmingly popular with a noisy crowd of about 300 students and parents.

The board could not legally vote on any budget cuts because budget issues were not on the meeting’s agenda. Nonetheless, board members decided to settle the issue in a non-binding vote when speaker after speaker implored the board to spare elementary arts and music from a spate of possible cuts necessary for the district to balance a deficit of nearly $1 million.

The meeting marked the fourth since November at which music and arts supporters crammed the Garvey Elementary auditorium beyond capacity. This time, arts advocates came armed--with dozens of student paintings and drawings and 12 members of the Alhambra High School band.

Board President Phyllis J. Rutherford said only verbal, not musical, statements would be allowed. She yielded as band members started to leave amid hostile protests toward board members.

“We listened to (Supt. Bruce) Peppin speak for six or seven minutes straight!” one parent shouted. “Is it OK if we listen to the band?”

The clearly nervous students played a game, but out-of-tune, rendition of the Alhambra High fight song. Then, as his compatriots folded their music, 16-year-old trumpeter Javier Garcia slowly and perfectly blew “Taps.” After five seconds of silence, the gallery erupted in cheers.

The board had heard enough.

“We’re so far into the school year now, the savings will be minuscule,” board member J. Parker Williams said. “I suggest we leave things as they are.”

One after another, board members nodded assent. “We will unanimously keep music and art,” Rutherford said, a pledge that precipitated the final standing ovation.

“They care! They care! They care!” art teacher Al Parker said. Other arts supporters were so confused by the sudden turn of events that they continued to speak out against the board for considering the program cuts.

Arts and music, however, are safe for this year, Rutherford said. “I gave the consensus vote so they could go home and rest, and sleep peacefully tonight,” she said later.

After the public meeting, the board adjourned to a closed session to discuss its remaining options for averting a budget crisis that has worsened since cutting music and art was first approved and then tabled in November.

“The amount we need to reduce is no longer $600,000,” Peppin said. “It’s closer to $1 million now.”

The financial bind was precipitated by the district’s overestimating what it would receive in lottery proceeds and by unanticipated cuts in other state funds. Representatives of the teachers union and classified employees union have warned the district that they will oppose pay and staff-size cutbacks.

But potential problems were ignored by celebrating students and parents. Christian Rosales, 9, will be able to continue his string bass lessons. “It’s fun,” he said, and “it’s important to me because it’s like some kind of language to express yourself.”

His father, Hector Rosales, a district custodian, said: “We wanted this program saved because I see in my son that he has an ability for art and music.

“If in one more year we need to come here and fight again, we’ll be here.”