UPDATE: Bledsoe County releases statement on music programs budget cut

BLEDSOE COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) – Around 10 pm Wednesday night, the Bledsoe County Board of Education released a statement on their decision to cut the high school band and middle school music programs from the budget.

“The Bledsoe County Board of Education would like to issue the following statement:

Bledsoe County Board of Education made cuts to its 2017-2018 budgeted expenditures due to a decrease in student enrollment, which resulted in a decrease in state funding.  As a result of the decrease in state funding, 2 1/2 certified teaching positions were eliminated from the budget.  The system eliminated an elementary teaching position at Cecil B Rigsby Elementary School, General Music at Bledsoe County Middle School and the Band Program at Bledsoe County High School.  Last year, the system was forced to eliminate a high school math teaching position, a middle school teaching position, a teaching position at Cecil B Rigsby Elementary, and a teaching position at Mary V Wheeler Elementary.  The system continues to offer a high school music program which includes: Concert Choir, Music History, and Guitar and Keyboard/Piano Class. We will also continue to offer a Drama Program.  Elimination of teaching positions and any of our arts programs or any program that benefits our students is a difficult, challenging, and struggle-filled decision and made only after consideration of the Board’s obligation to provide the best possible education to all 1,600 plus students in our system. ”

BLEDSOE COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) – The Bledsoe County High School band and middle school music programs are cut from the budget.

Monday the county’s board of education voted seven to zero to end the programs.

That decision also eliminated the band instructor position of teacher Frank Hudson.

The vote came as a shock to many. We spoke with several people who expressed concern.

News 12 reached out to the Bledsoe County board of education several times today.

They had no comment except to say that an official statement would be sent to us around noon.

So far, no we have not received it.