High School music policies

If you had a mountain in your school's back yard, it would be less of an issue funding a ski team. But it seems like the cost of lift, time equipment, travel and insurance would be a little bit for most school's to consider. I get your point; but it is a bit unfair for some parents to get their kids activities paid for and others to have to pay. I've always felt the same about dance. I think there should be more of that type of education in the k-12. It would have been more beneficial for me to learn Tai Chi then to spend my mornings learning to square dance. Why square dancing and not jazz dancing.
Why do tax payers pay for a football stadium, Basketball Courts, Swimming Pool, and a Baseball Diamond to be built at the school? Thats like creating a mountain!
Why not build a Ski park at the school? Why do they build a theater and stage at the school?
What do these things have to do with education?
 
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Let's take it a step further. Why have public education at all? Why guarantee that anyone have the benefit of a basic education? Education is the basis of democracy. The belief is that in order to have a society whose citizens can fully take part in civil life, they need to have an education. This has come to include music, theater, fine arts, physical education and other extra-curricula activities as the sign of an opulent nation. We guarantee that our citizens have a well-rounded, in depth education. Are these classes necessary. I would say yes because as much as many of your citizens will need to math to take part in civic life, many will need the fundamental artistic skills to earn a living. They also need an educated populace to take part in the enjoyment and appreciation of their work.

What we are asking is where do you draw the line. And yes, there is plenty of money that goes into football and baseball because they are perceived as fundamental aspects of American social life. When you fly into La Guardia, you pull up over Queens and what you see are endless baseball diamonds that fill the space. Baseball and football have a place in the American historical psyche that swimming and soccer do not have. Most school districts do not have a swimming pool; and having such is a sign of a districts wealth.

People complain about Wynton Marsalis; but what he has done is the same for Jazz. Now every college is cowering to have a jazz program, and the public schools are starting kids on jazz as young as 9-10. It is part of their musical education, as much as Bach or Mozart.

People ask why music should be given an academic status as such, and my answer is to look at Austro-German culture. The Germans have historically been the most focused towards their musical culture. Kant said that the Germans were the only ones who did not see art as a matter of taste. They didn't see it as frivolous. They've also produced many of the great musical minds of the last three hundred years.

There is a connection between the education that a nation provides its citizens and the greatness of that a culture possesses. Many complain about education and there are many things that can be done better. But in the short run, we can read and write, and take part in the greater culture at large because our nation affords this basic foundation to all its citizens.
 
Here's the input from "today's" students.

Or at least one of them.

I myself have taken careful measures not to swamp myself with homework and extra curricular activities, and I am lucky to have parents who aren't the average american "NOMIGODGRADESHONORSOCIETYBLAH". So I have plenty of time to juggle school, marching band, National Art Honor society, a girlfriend, and last but not least, drumming.

In my school, the marching policy is that marching is optional, but it's very, very highly encouraged. Our drumline has what the director recently called an "appropriate" 2-2-4 with three cymbals. If my school's student body, which is fairly small, can fill out marching band that easily, then I don't see why other schools would need to make it mandatory.

As for the beneficial parts of being in both jazz and marching drumline, My fencing instructor used to say that improving onesself is optional. He would give his classes tips and advice, but it was never an order, he just suggested it. And he stressed that point as well. If a drummer in high school jazz band truly was passionate about drumming and wanted to improve himself, he would voluntarily join marching band. There should be nothing required about it.
 
That's right Ken, It would be foolish to drop Music and Arts programs.
Schools also have begun to eliminate Wood, Metal, and Auto Shop.
I think that that is foolish also. Shouldn't someone know how to do simple repairs around their home? Even if you are not going to become a finish carpenter it is good to have some basic tool skills. Many kids took these courses just to get some basic knowledge of working with your hands.

The Federal mandate only specifies levels for the three Rs. That has become the primary goal of each school.
If you don't offer the shop classes, Many of the "Dumber" kids leave for trade school.
Your students pass the test and your schools problem is solved!
 
But it really is like I said. It will be a debate about the benefits of marching band. The people you are trying to convince will never get to this other part of it. If the policy's what it is, it's already been decided. You go to a school board with some type of alternate view you'll be shut down and the local band directors will shun you which gets in the way of your lining up more students. When you use words like unfair they will see you as insulting them or ignore you entirely, because they don't see band as the kid's band they see it as their band, with the reasoning being that they're still going to be the band director long after the students you're working with now are gone, that you're in the view a naive don't get it person and a lot of other off the paper stuff.

This might be unfair but there's simply too much intransigience and money involved for this to change. Trust me, you don't tell a school band director how it is. You have to make them think it's their idea. And if they need those drummers and trumpet players for comps, that's it. This has nothing to do with anything but satisfying fund raising parents with a trophy at Saturday night awards presentations, because every trophy in the trophy case often equates with thousands of dollars, the spring trip to the Disneyworld band trip, the major New Years Bowl Game parade etc. You're trying to see this strictly within one person's view of an educational design when marching band is worth too much money to be only that. I know it's wierd stuff. It's also why my family's out of it.

This really depends on the school. I agree with a lot of what you said based on my marching experience...the school I went to and some I worked for after I graduated were very much like this...most truly competitive bands are. However, at the same time, many schools don't compete, or don't worry too much about it. A lot of their funding comes in regardless of trophy counts, and they do shows that don't conform to TOB, BOA, or any other style. There is still hope for a lot of schools, even if I do agree that some schools are like you said.
 
I have started a group on facebook as a means to rally support for my cause (Simply put-To help kids that want to study jazz do so.).

It's called High Schools! Stop making jazz students join the marching band.

If you believe in my viewpoint, please join and post your opinion. Even if you don't, I'm ultimately looking to create an open discussion on the topic. I think there are enough people that feel this way that schools should at least be open to possible alternatives.

Thanks to everyone who has shared their views. It has helped me to be better prepared to debate with the local schools.
 
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