Page 15 - North Star Magazine 2022

likely than kids who were not involved at all” (Putnam 175). Orchestra, band, and chorus were some of the most consistent extracurricular activities a PCSD student could be involved in. Chorus participation could begin in 3rd grade, orchestra in 4th,
and band in 5th, and once a student hit middle school, it became an integrated course in the student’s schedule that took place
every other day. Music education had a very important spot in
the everyday lives of PCSD students, but those who could not participate were being deprived of upward mobility, as argued
by Putnam. He writes that “From 1997 to 2012, the ‘extracurricular gap’ between poor kids and nonpoor kids ages 6-11 nearly doubled, from 15 to 27 percentage points, while the comparable gap among kids aged 12-17 rose from 19 to 29 percentage points” (Putnam
177), and this gap is similar in both sports and non-sports activities, which would include any music extracurriculars offered by a school (Putnam 178). Even if financially disadvantaged students end up getting a spot in a school ensemble, they can face many challenges and be subjected to class discrimination while in their respective group, which could ultimately lead them to not perform as well. In his article “Social Class and School Music” Vincent C. Bates states that “students from low-income homes are likely to receive lower placements and fewer opportunities to demonstrate their talents than are students from more financially privileged circumstances” (Bates 34). He also acknowledges that “families may not be able to afford musical instruments and accessories, instrument repair and maintenance, performance attire, private lessons, or transportation to and from special events” (Bates 34). In my own high school, there were plenty of kids that weren’t able to make it to the seasonal concerts due to a lack of transportation. Sometimes they had no family in the audience because of the time it was scheduled at. The audience lessened, and the stage grew quieter over the four years of high school as more kids felt like no one was watching. There
are many barriers to consider that are set up against low-income students that discourage them from participating fully in music education, and many consequences that come from not being able to engage in extracurricular activities.
Plattsburgh is a high poverty area, and demographically, it would be the perfect place for these disparities to exist. Though
it is a city, Plattsburgh is small enough to be fairly exclusive and financially divided. You can mark exactly where the rich people seclude in their fancy neighborhoods, and the poor people just exist