Klarinet Archive - Posting 000975.txt from 2000/08

From: "Cathy Barta" <cathbar@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl]Which one? (Uh-oh...newby alert!)
Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2000 13:10:15 -0400

William Wright:

> Thank you for your post, Mrs. Barta. I'm still stewing about a
> similar situation in a school district in Kansas. I'd like to ask you a
> very specific question:
> In your area, is marching band mandatory only if your child enters
> the music program, or is the music program itself mandatory?
>
>
> Thank you,
> Bill

In response to William Wright:

The music program is not mandatory. The band and orchestra programs are
fine arts electives. At the middle school level, students are required to
participate in some type of fine arts elective--art, choir, general music
and theatre arts are the other choices. Band and orchestra (which require
the expense of instruments) are free choices that are guaranteed to a
student who wishes to participate. If they don't choose one of the
instrumental fine arts electives, they have the other options. Our band and
orchestra programs frequently begin in 5th and 6th grades depending on the
schools and specific districts. Once students enter high school, there is
still a fine arts requirement, but once again, the students in our district
have choices outside of band or orchestra.

Now, once a student has participated in band in middle school and chooses to
continue in high school---marching band in our school is mandatory *because*
they are enrolled in band. It is considered a full-year course in which
marching band is the focus from August through at least the end of October.
They are not *required* to be in band, but they are required to obtain a
certain number of fine arts credits. I don't remember how many, as it is
not an issue for me. After two years of high school band and the additional
requirement of enrolling in an instrumental class in order to maintain
status in the upper level band, my child has more than enough fine arts
credits to graduate.

I suspect that in the case where the participation in the music program
itself is required, it may be that the school in question, only offers that
one choice of a fine arts elective. Ideally, a school should offer a
variety---but in many areas of the country, all of the possible choices are
not economically feasible for the school districts in question and their
state curriculum requirements do not require that they offer all variations
of electives.

Because the marching band issue becomes such a heated and emotional one, I
encourage you to e-mail me privately, if you would like any additional
information.

Regards,
Cathy Barta

----- Original Message -----
From: William Wright <Bilwright@-----.net>
Subject: Re: [kl]Which one? (Uh-oh...newby alert!)

> <><> Cathy Barta wrote:
> For the parent in Texas---be aware, that unless your district is an
> exception, marching band participation in high school is generally
> considered a part of the full-year band program. Many directors and
> districts design their programs with mandatory participation in marching
> band---it is not voluntary.
>
>
>
>
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