US city reverses century-old ban on jazz in schools unanimously
A little known but century-old ban on jazz in schools in a US city has been reversed
A little known but century-old ban on jazz in schools in a US city has been reversed unanimously, an AP report said.
The move was taken by the school board of New Orleans. The city seems to have played a major role in developing jazz. It is still played at many venues nightly.
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During the meeting on Thursday night, Orleans Parish School Board President Olin Parker told AP, “I’m very glad that we can rescind this policy. I want to acknowledge it. It was rooted in racism.”
“And I also want to acknowledge the tremendous contributions of our students and especially of our band directors, whose legacy continues from 1922 through present day,” added Parker.
Ken Ducote, executive director, Greater New Orleans Collaborative of Charter Schools, had brought the policy to the board’s attention after reading about it in Al Kennedy’s book “Chord Changes on the Chalkboard: How Public School Teachers Shaped Jazz and the Music of New Orleans.”
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“We’re glad that the policy was ignored by our schools, because our schools played a major role in the development of jazz,” said member Katherine Baudouin.
On March 24, 1922, the earlier board's vote was passed without “prior policy development, analysis, or debate,” and the proposal had not been on the agenda, the current board noted.
(With inputs from agencies)