Students dance at Leander ISD board meeting to protest district policy change

LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) – In perhaps a modern-day “Footloose,” around a half dozen students danced in front of the Leander ISD board Thursday night to protest a district policy change. 

For years, Leander ISD allowed students who participated in dance programs off campus to apply that time towards course credit. In addition to the credit, students would get a free period. 

But recently, the district altered the program so that dance enrollment outside of school would no longer apply. A Leander ISD spokesperson said because dance programs are offered at all secondary schools in the district, “we felt comfortable removing those activities,” a spokesperson said. 

“My goal is to attend Juilliard and [New York University]; however, without the support of programs like off-campus P.E., I fear I will not be able to maintain the rigorous academic load necessary to pursue my dreams,” said a 15-year-old freshman at Leander ISD high school to the school board.

“Dance is not just an activity I do. I dedicated my last ten years to the art of dance,” she continued. “Without [off-campus P.E.], I may have to choose between sacrificing my education for my dance career.”

Erin Turnley said she was shocked to find out that dance was removed from the list of activities that qualify for the off-campus P.E. program. Her son, Evan, dances upwards of 30 hours a week at the Dance Institute in northwest Austin. She said the free period is crucial to her son’s academic success. 

“I think Leander is a district that has prided itself in innovation. It's one of the top-ranked schools in the state, and their motto and guiding principles are student-centered education,” she said. “The program has worked for 14 years…It just makes sense that the program continues, so I'm not really sure why they would take away something that was working just fine.”

Turnley said in order for some of these students to achieve their goals, it’s valuable for them to continue dancing at a studio instead of participating in the school dance program. She said she will continue pushing the district to reverse its decision. 

“I'm hopeful,” Turnley said.