High School Marching Band

I've always heard that blogs are good for the soul. They can bring to light issues that need to be in the open. This is one that weighs on my mind heavily as my daughter is in the wrap up stages of high school band camp.

Did you know that most of the high school music departments in the state of North Carolina get little to no funding from their local school board in order to continue student music education? But yet, the athletic associations can ask for almost anything they need and somewhere the money is made available.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not slamming our athletic programs in the least! I have kids that play sports too, but I simply use that department as an example because in our own local high school and many of the surrounding schools of the area, it's a prime example.

Last year, our music department got enough money from the school board to make copies of the music. They didn't provide for instruments or uniforms or even for new chairs or music stands. In fact, most of the chairs and music stands are from the same era as when I was in the same band years and years ago.

I'm not griping because they don't get the newest of equipment, or the finest seating that can be had. I simply think that the school board, in all its infinite wisdom, should give the same consideration to the music department as they do to the biology department, the math department, the english department, etc. Music, both band and chorus, are accredited classes, and yet their needs are nearly always shuffled to the end of the list.

This year, it's been a little different in the beginning. Our principal 'found' some extra money in the budget for the band, but he took the liberty of telling the band direction what it would be used for and what it would not. Well, not to look a gift horse in the mouth, the money was spent as directed. But it sure would have been nice to have been allowed to spend it where it was needed instead of where someone THOUGHT it was needed. And to top the cake, I saw on the budget last night (a public record if you contact your band boosters) where the band is going to have to pay back that 'found' money to the school. WHY??? No one can give me a strait answer on that... go figure.

I mentioned the band boosters a moment ago, sometime everyone should know about... Most music departments have a 'booster' program comprised of involved parents and friends to help organize fundraisers, just like the athletic programs do and many clubs and societies as well. But we find that there is a limited availability on where to hold fundraisers, and when push comes to shove, it's not the music department that gets the go ahead to hold the benefit they need.

I have overheard parents say, "Oh that's just for the band, they don't need our help." And they are wrong! People have the impression that if you have a kid in band, you have more money than you know what to do with. Yes, instruments are expensive, but so is football gear, and we parents have to buy the instrument that we hope like hell will make it through at least seven years of school! A saxophone isn't cheap by any means! And tubas aren't available for financing!

When you have a winning football team, everyone knows about it. But when the band from a hometown school take a NATIONAL championship, it never even makes the news. At best, you'll have a small write up in the local paper somewhere on page three or four, right next to the winners of the dairy contest at the fairgrounds. I ask you, is that fair? When our kids put their heart and soul into something important, no matter what it is, shouldn't they be recognized?

I was really pissed off last year when our school principal said that the band could not use the field to practice on because 'their shoes would tear it up'. Of all the idiotic statements that could have been said, I think that was the worst I've ever heard. As if CLEATS don't tear up the field? I mean for heavens sake, what kind of damage did he think that TENNIS SHOES would do??? But this is merely an example of what our hometown bands and band directors have to go through just to keep their ACCREDITED CLASS as part of public education.

So our band has to schedule the practice field around the varisity, junior varsity and any other football team that might need the field. TWO WEEKS in the summer, we are allowed full access to the field, and our band director takes full advantage of it by hosting band camp. A daily camp that begins at 8:30 in the morning and ends at 6:00 in the evening. Ten long hours, every day, two weeks before school starts. But the kids do it! We pay for band directors and student teachers of music eduation to come in and assist with instruction. Those additional faculty are housed and fed by the good graces of volunteer parents.

Why? Because the show must go on...

Because the band is expected to play at the home football games and march on a field that they aren't allowed to practice on, even when there are games held before the start of school.

Because the band is expected to play instruments that no one can afford to buy on their own, like tubas and susaphones, bass drums and xylophones, quad drums and kettles.

Because the band is expected to show team spirit in uniforms that they had to get a loan from a bank to buy, because the school board couldn't see it in the budget for music education.

Because the band is expected to play music without a thought of where it comes from or how much it costs to get enough copies.

The band is criticised for what it DOES NOT do, but when we go away for a competition of our own, they wonder why we aren't there to support the football team. When we take grand champion at a local competition against six or eight other bands, not a word of congradulations is voiced, only the contempt that we 'weren't at the game on Friday night'!

Who's supporting the band? Nobody but us parents, that's all. School board, it's time to step up and do something!

Dragon Lady