Published: October 03, 2006 02:39 pm         

Letter to the Editor - September 21, 2006

To the Editor:

As reported in last week’s Tuttle Times, Board Member Bruce Long, voiced an opinion during a school board meeting stating “Our Band is dressed terrible…If we want to get a positive image, we have got to do a better job.” I am a parent of a band member and happen to be married to the President of the Tuttle Band Boosters. While this statement is an opinion and may seem true, it frustrates me and others. It is nearly impossible to count the number of times the Tuttle Band Booster organization has plead with school officials and the school board for support for the band.

What really looks terrible is the supported program of the Tuttle Band. I am not sure Mr. Long or any board member for that matter understands that holding band during one of the block times in the high school guarantees failure for the program. These students must choose between required classes, and a few electives including band. I myself have encouraged my daughter not to take band each semester because to get into a good college, she must have good electives on her transcripts. So unfortunately, band suffers, and I care about the band. When you have a student body the size of Tuttle, you should have a better band. So what happened?

Consider the 2005-2006 numbers: Sixth grade had 30 members, seventh grade had 10 members, and eighth grade through twelfth had 16 members combined. The horrible fall out is partly the program and mostly the scheduling according Laura Dobie, Band Booster President. “Many parents find it difficult to have their student take band in high school because of the block scheduling,” said Dobie.

This parent has additional opinions. It seemed that every time the Band Boosters raised money to enhance the program, they were denied the opportunity because of some other support organization. Take last year as an example. The Band Boosters made and sold cinnamon rolls during football games, which was a non-competitive item to the concession stand’s products. The cinnamon rolls were a great success. This year, the Football Boosters denied the Band Boosters from selling the rolls saying it competed with the Football Boosters concessions, even though they did not nor do not sell any such item. As an alternative, as reported by the an attendee of the last Football Boosters meeting, the Football Boosters promised the band 50% of the amount collected from the sales of programs for this year. What happened after the first game? The Band Boosters sold all 100 programs, and received the $50 dollars. Last year, the Band Boosters earned over $300 per game on the cinnamon rolls. How is that fair?

If the school board wants a better band, they need a friendlier band program. I would suggest that Mr. Long do some studying and take some positive action to improve the band before criticizing. After all, that is why he was elected.

Cameron Dobie