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I have to disagree. I know plenty of students who do not participate in band and are honor roll students. The last three Valedictorian's at our school did not take band.
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Originally Posted by captain_hug99
The person didn't say all smart people were in band, the poster said it CAN raise your grades. Big difference. Music forces both sides of the brain to work at once, the analytical side reading the music while the artistic side performs the music. There have been many studies showing the effects of music and the brain, most show positive results when it comes to attention span, reading and math abilities, and grades.
Good thing I kept reading; this is exactly what I was about to post. There is absolutely nothing negative about learning music in some form.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnonChick
Actually I'm more of the mind that if school is to be compulsory and universal in our society, only people who have children should be required to pay for it. Why should I have to pay for your kid to go to school? I'm not the one who decided to give birth. That was your doing.
Requiring band is no different than requiring PE, math, science, history, art, etc.. For PE, different clothes and shoes are expected. In some schools, parents are expected to purchase textbooks and materials. I just read a few days ago that some schools are requiring parents to furnish their child with their own toilet paper and cleaning supplies.
If the OP doesn't want to rent, I would suggest she get right down to the school and get one of the school owned instruments before they are all taken.
Band was the highlight of my school years. We were like a huge family and if you weren't in band, you were barely noticed in our high school. The band kids were the athletes, had the highest grades for the most part, and were most active in everything in and out of school.
it is very beneficial for the child
we pay $110 a month for a certain large string instrument
but this is done voluntarily on our part
don't think I'd like it if I was told it was mandatory
kinda like health insurance come to think of it .. but that's a different subject.
First day of school and my child brings me a note from the band teacher stating that starting this year, 5th grade band will be required. The note goes on to explain that instruments provided by the school are VERY limited so we are welcome to BUY OR RENT instruments for our children. I have a problem with our school making a class a requirement but parents may or may not have to rent/buy the equipment. I would think that the school is obligated to provide the instruments for all of the students. Any input?
This is the OP and I don't think that he/she has anything against band, it's the cost of the instrument.
I interpreted that the issue was mandatory [insert class here] but not mandatory supply of required equipment by the school.
When we were in Junior High (public) our parents had to buy us gym uniforms. The education system did not accommodate people who didn't want to or were unable to pay for them. Gym was mandatory, and so were the uniforms.
In elementary school, all 3rd graders learned the recorder. All parents of 3rd graders were required to provide their children with the recorders.
It's no different, and it doesn't -have- to be a big expense. Plus, the OP says that the school -will- be able to make some accommodations. So that means, to me, that parents who want to -own- the instruments their kids are using, are encouraged to do so. Parents who -cannot- own them, can either rent, or select from whatever is available at the school to borrow.
We had the same deal in Junior High actually. Although it wasn't mandatory, pretty much everyone belonged to one of the music groups; orchestra, marching band, jazz band, concert band, drama orchestra. The school didn't have enough instruments for everyone to pick anything they wanted. They might've had 6 violins, and 2 violas. If three people wanted to play viola, one of them was gonna have to either rent, buy, or pick a different instrument to play.
Actually I'm more of the mind that if school is to be compulsory and universal in our society, only people who have children should be required to pay for it. Why should I have to pay for your kid to go to school? I'm not the one who decided to give birth. That was your doing.
.
Because someday my kid will be the brain surgeon who saves your life. Or the kid who took driver's ed, and avoided running you down in the crosswalk. Or the kid who knows how to make change and speeds up your wait in the checkout lane. Or the kid with the right answers when you phone the 800-number. Or the kid who says "I can fix that" when you're broken down on the road. Or the kid who defends you in court when somebody sues you. Or the kid who understands high-tech weaponry and defends your freedom.
Because someday my kid will be the brain surgeon who saves your life.
So I get to pay twice. I get to pay before he's a brain surgeon, and I get to pay when he presents me the bill for the surgery. And what about all those brain surgeons who don't do the surgery? Why am I paying for -their- education? And how about that podiatrist living in another state, where I don't know anyone, and aren't related to anyone? Why are my federal income tax dollars paying for their elementary education allocation? See, we can go back and forth on this for a long time on ridiculous circular arguments.
What it all boils down to, is that IF I am to pay for someone else's kids' education, THEN I should have some say in what kind of education they get.
OR...
Their own parents should stop complaining when they have to pay band practice.
OR..
Their parents should've thought about the expenses of raising children before they gave birth.
I interpreted that the issue was mandatory [insert class here] but not mandatory supply of required equipment by the school.
When we were in Junior High (public) our parents had to buy us gym uniforms. The education system did not accommodate people who didn't want to or were unable to pay for them. Gym was mandatory, and so were the uniforms.
In elementary school, all 3rd graders learned the recorder. All parents of 3rd graders were required to provide their children with the recorders.
It's no different, and it doesn't -have- to be a big expense. Plus, the OP says that the school -will- be able to make some accommodations. So that means, to me, that parents who want to -own- the instruments their kids are using, are encouraged to do so. Parents who -cannot- own them, can either rent, or select from whatever is available at the school to borrow.
We had the same deal in Junior High actually. Although it wasn't mandatory, pretty much everyone belonged to one of the music groups; orchestra, marching band, jazz band, concert band, drama orchestra. The school didn't have enough instruments for everyone to pick anything they wanted. They might've had 6 violins, and 2 violas. If three people wanted to play viola, one of them was gonna have to either rent, buy, or pick a different instrument to play.
My oldest is in high school and the youngest just started middle school. In middle school they have to bring clothes to change into for 6th grade. In 7th and 8th grade if they take athletics they are REQUIRED to wear the "uniform" which consists of a school athletics dept t-shirt and shorts. I buy double so they have two of each since it is every day. When I was in jr high we were required to wear a HIDEIOUS one piece jumpsuit type getup for PE. Parents had to pay for it. So nothing has changed. It is just the cost of having kids. If someone does not want to incur any extra expenses that come with having kids in school they can always homeschool.
I interpreted that the issue was mandatory [insert class here] but not mandatory supply of required equipment by the school.
When we were in Junior High (public) our parents had to buy us gym uniforms. The education system did not accommodate people who didn't want to or were unable to pay for them. Gym was mandatory, and so were the uniforms.
In elementary school, all 3rd graders learned the recorder. All parents of 3rd graders were required to provide their children with the recorders.
It's no different, and it doesn't -have- to be a big expense. Plus, the OP says that the school -will- be able to make some accommodations. So that means, to me, that parents who want to -own- the instruments their kids are using, are encouraged to do so. Parents who -cannot- own them, can either rent, or select from whatever is available at the school to borrow.
We had the same deal in Junior High actually. Although it wasn't mandatory, pretty much everyone belonged to one of the music groups; orchestra, marching band, jazz band, concert band, drama orchestra. The school didn't have enough instruments for everyone to pick anything they wanted. They might've had 6 violins, and 2 violas. If three people wanted to play viola, one of them was gonna have to either rent, buy, or pick a different instrument to play.
Come on...a couple of pair of gym shorts cost nothing like the fiddle my grand daughter plays in school or the music books... And Yes I called it a fiddle....I like country music...
I do not have a problem with my child participating in band. I do have a problem with a note being sent home on the first day of school informing parents that, as of yesterday (first day of school), band was mandatory for 5th graders. My husband graduated from this school as did my two older children. Band has never been mandatory until now. I also have a problem with the fact that if there are not enough instruments, we will have to buy or rent. Excuse me? This is a public school. If a class is mandatory and parents cannot afford materials, uniforms or instruments, what is the school going to do? Boot the student out because of inability to pay? I don't think so. That is inviting a lawsuit. Public schools have to provide if the students family cannot. If not, every other public school in the Nation would be under a lawsuit right now.
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