Klarinet Archive - Posting 000645.txt from 1998/04

From: Fred Jacobowitz <fredj@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: budget cutbacks
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1998 05:07:10 -0400

On Mon, 13 Apr 1998, Roger Garrett wrote:
>
> Jill brings up some good points. However, at the risk of the large volume
> of hate mail I might receive, I would like to contribute a few ideas:
>
> 1. The music/band teacher who puts their music program on the field
> or in a parade or fund raises for a trip to do the same without
> establishing a first rate, concert band, runs the risk of having their
> program cut beneath them. It is simple matemetics folks.......when money
> is scarce and the band does not seem to be any different than any other
> athletic team, the school board will cut the "team" that has the lowest
> value to the school (determined by ticket sales).

Hey, wait just one minute there!!!!
Lets put some things in perspective here: How much does the school spend
on the team? 1) equipment and upkeep of the football field/stadium
(including cleanup after home games!).
2) Insurance on the players who are often injured on the field.
3) Insurance for all the fans who come to sit in the stands.
4) Transportation fees to truck the team and its equipment all
over the state every other week for a few months.
It is a fact that if you add up all these costs, there is NO WAY
that a sports team or program can justify its costs. Tickets and
concessions don't even come close to paying the costs.

Now let's contrast the costs of a music program:
1) Instruments generally cost about as much as the football
equipment.
2) No expensive medical insurance necessary.
3) No upkeep of an expensive athletic field and stadium.
4) Rare (usually) trips to band competitions.
5) Most of a band program takes place DURING SHOOL HOURS! No extra
costs for custodians to keep the building and locker rooms open late. The
only thing that usually happens after school is MARCHING practice, which
can take place on the parking lot (no upkeep there), schoolyard or any
lawn area (and doesn't tear up the grass, requiring expensive
groundskeeping costs.

Do the math, folks. Then present your findings to the bean counters on the
schoolboard. And watch as the athletic program program backers squirm to
try to justify their huge budgets.

Fred Jacobowitz,
Clarinet Instructor, Peabody Preparatory