Just days away from the famous West Indian American Day Parade, Elected officials and West Indian cultural organization members rallied for new legislation that would bring steel pan music curriculums into city schools.

The legislation would also allow rehearsals to take place on schools grounds leading up to the parade as well. The steel pan is a Caribbean musical staple hailing from Trinidad, and it is the only acoustic instrument to be created in the 20th century.

The Department of Education provided the following statement in response:

“Celebrations like the West Indian Day Parade fill our streets with music, dancing, and joy, and we’re wishing all of our young people a safe and happy weekend. Arts education and music are central to the mission of New York City Public Schools, our schools are the centers of our communities, and our buildings are open to all community organizations. If a community organization is interested in utilizing school property, they should reach out to the school’s principal for guidance.”