Dartmouth High art students, alumni, parents, and working artists brought their fight to prevent a staff cut to the high school arts program to the School Committee on March 18.

During a public hearing on the school district’s $44.2 million 2020 school budget proposal, nearly 20 people spoke out against a recommendation to not fill an art teacher position vacated by the retirement of long-time art teacher Susan Brunette.

If approved, Dartmouth High’s unified art department would be staffed by five teachers instead of six. Superintendent Bonny Gifford said the change will not result in a reduction of course choice or offerings. Instead, some classes currently offered as full-year classes will be moved to a half-year schedule.

The budget proposal for Dartmouth High School includes the addition of a high school technology integration specialist, and several half-time positions including a high school wellness teacher.

Ellen Hamilton, a professional artist for nearly 27 years, said she remembers the fight to introduce a comprehensive, consistent arts curriculum. Back then, she noted, schools lacked dedicated art rooms and lessons were conducted on traveling art carts .

“We fought for fairness, equality, consistency, equal access, and justice in the arts,” Hamilton said. “This is why it’s so emotional for me. It’s come so far in dollars and professional support. We need progress and we need to advance. We can’t go backwards.”

Alumnus Jonathan Silva highlighted the benefits of an arts education in problem solving and development.

“I would opt for expanding the department, I really would,” Silva said.

Students and alumni also shared their own personal stories about their discovery of the arts.

Emily Harding detailed how she enrolled in her first elective in September 2015 - Photography - hoping for an easy class. At the time, she only knew how to take blurry iPhone photos. She went on to win several Scholastic Art Awards in her high school career, and is now a student at MassArt.

“So many students at Dartmouth High got their start with the wide variety of art classes here,” Harding said. It’d be a shame to miss out on that.”

Dartmouth High junior Emma Sousa said she discovered the high school’s art classes for extra credit, but soon found her passion of photography through the classes.

“Without art, there’s nothing else for a student to do but to come back into their shell, not being able to express themselves, and eventually wither away,” Sousa said.

After the public hearing, school officials stressed that the position being eliminated will not result in cuts to class options, and the issues associated with budgeting.

“None of these decisions are made without a lot of thought,” Gifford said. “We see growing needs in various areas, but we only have so much money. We try to do a very good job every time we come to budget season thinking about other options.”

Dartmouth High Principal Ross Thibault said last year he met with lead teachers to determine scheduling for half and full-year art classes. Some, like digital photography, will remain full-year courses.

“My initial request was for the technology position and to replace the art position,” Thibault said. “But we all have a responsibility to work within our means, and we’re forced to make difficult decisions at times.”

School Committee member Chris Oliver, who was also on the budget subcommittee, noted funding is tight - the district was unable to include $651,981 in funding requests in the budget.

“We do the best we can to listen, we take in all the information, all the data from all sides, and the School Committee has a tough decision to make at the end of the day,” Oliver said.

Chairman John Nunes echoed budget constraint issues, noting the district has to go by numbers given to them by the state.

The 2020 budget still needs to be finalized by the School Committee, and, ultimately, Town Meeting. Nunes said a vote will be scheduled for the next School Committee meeting.