Klarinet Archive - Posting 001205.txt from 1999/01

From: "Paulette W. Gulakowski" <pollyg@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] HELP!
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 07:48:40 -0500

The ENTIRE school district is under court mandate for a no cut policy -
that includes the basketball team. The court order came about originally
because of inequities between neighboring schools districts - economic,
social, racial, educational etc. It was meant to give everyone an equal
opportunity and education.
The exceptions in MY story happen in the band every year and more than
one or two students. (The story quoted was Bill's but I started it...)
Once again, I state that generally speaking, the ones that won't work,
quit on their own. The girl with the learning disability who has been in
the band for 3 years and can either play her sax (not memorized and not
well but she works very hard for what she has) or march (somewhat poorly
because of a physical reason) but not both play and march - STAYS!
I am not advocating for court orders or no-cut policies (I prefer the
right to cut - it's a lot easier) but I am saying it can be done, can be
worked out and can benefit both the students and the program. It
requires every ounce of creativity and ingenuity the band director has to
make it work. It requires a staff who can work together and it requires
students who see the need to include others in their activities.
Paulette

On Sat, 23 Jan 1999 21:15:59 +0000 "Jay D. Webler" <webler@-----.net>
writes:
>On Sat, 23 Jan 1999 11:13:49 -0500, Bill Hausmann wrote:
>
> >Had this individual not been given the opportunity to join the band
>in high
>>school, he would surely not be a musician today. He would never have
>met
>>the woman he married. His life would be completely different. And
>I'm
>>quite sure he would not be a member of this list. Yes, of course,
>this is
>>the condensed story of MY musical life.
>>
>
>My complaint about this type of thing, is we have seem to come to a
>point that we base
>our rules upon the exceptions. There are always exceptions to
>standard practices, but
>they should not be what determines a standard. Occasionally you can
>find a good,
>"short" (or vertically challenged) basketball player. That doesn't
>mean that you should
>let any "vertically challenged" person play just because he wants to.
>Should he be
>allowed to try out; yes. But, if that person does not prove their
>capable then send them
>to the locker. (pardon my plural pronouns. I just don't feel like
>typing he/she all night).I
>am convinced (in my cynical way) that most people who go to court in
>order to be the
>exception do it only for that reason. Their ego is massaged because
>they managed to
>buck the system. It is strange to me that the person decided to go to
>court, instead of
>going out and getting an instrument, and some lessons, to prove that
>his/her desire
>was genuine.
>Maybe I need more facts to convince my cynical mind.
>
>Jay Webler
>
>
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