Editor: On Dec. 7 an article appeared in your pages titled, “Band Gets Vote of Support,” reporting the Richmond Hill City Council’s resolution calling on the Bryan County Board of Education to find a way to allow the Richmond Hill High School Marching Band to participate in a national event in Washington DC, after the Bryan BOE said it couldn’t be done.
On Jan. 9, almost one month later to the day, WTOC TV reported that the Savannah Arts Academy’s Skyelite Jazz Band has been invited to perform at the National School Board Association’s 67th annual conference in San Francisco in April. The students are now raising money to cover their transportation costs.
Somehow I find it very difficult to believe that the Chatham County Board of Education would permit their students to travel not only out-of-state, but all the way across the country, to a conference in San Francisco if there were any serious concerns over liability, insurance, or waivers. Are they just dumber than we are? Or do they have less competent lawyers working for them?
I cannot for the life of me understand why the Richmond Hill High School Marching Band should not only be permitted, but encouraged, to participate in the Washington DC event, by every single member of the Bryan BoE. Those board members ought to be out there in the community raising the necessary funds every night of the week, instead of simply saying it can’t be done.
Something is rotten in the state of Denmark...er, Bryan County. Schools across the country do this sort of thing all the time. Maybe the Bryan BoE should check with the Chatham BoE to see what their reasoning is. Or maybe they should all go to the National School Board Association’s 67th annual conference in San Francisco themselves, and find out why Savannah Arts Academy students can perform there, when they won’t allow our own high school band to go to Washington DC.
That might be a truly educational trip for them.
A Sincerely Puzzled Reader,
Rafe Semmes
Midway
On Jan. 9, almost one month later to the day, WTOC TV reported that the Savannah Arts Academy’s Skyelite Jazz Band has been invited to perform at the National School Board Association’s 67th annual conference in San Francisco in April. The students are now raising money to cover their transportation costs.
Somehow I find it very difficult to believe that the Chatham County Board of Education would permit their students to travel not only out-of-state, but all the way across the country, to a conference in San Francisco if there were any serious concerns over liability, insurance, or waivers. Are they just dumber than we are? Or do they have less competent lawyers working for them?
I cannot for the life of me understand why the Richmond Hill High School Marching Band should not only be permitted, but encouraged, to participate in the Washington DC event, by every single member of the Bryan BoE. Those board members ought to be out there in the community raising the necessary funds every night of the week, instead of simply saying it can’t be done.
Something is rotten in the state of Denmark...er, Bryan County. Schools across the country do this sort of thing all the time. Maybe the Bryan BoE should check with the Chatham BoE to see what their reasoning is. Or maybe they should all go to the National School Board Association’s 67th annual conference in San Francisco themselves, and find out why Savannah Arts Academy students can perform there, when they won’t allow our own high school band to go to Washington DC.
That might be a truly educational trip for them.
A Sincerely Puzzled Reader,
Rafe Semmes
Midway