The Virginian-Pilot
©
CHESAPEAKE
More than a dozen parents, including some from other high schools, spoke before the School Board on Monday night to ask that students in the Great Bridge High School marching band be allowed to perform at Disney World and to ride the park's attractions over their winter break this year.
"Please, I beg of you," said Alan Walker, who is a band parent at Grassfield High School. "Do not let this slip away from Chesapeake."
For more than a decade, the Great Bridge marching band has made a trip to Orlando, Fla., every four years to perform in the Citrus Parade, which is broadcast on national television, and in Disney World's parade down Main Street.
But this year, parents say, when they submitted their application for a field-trip permit, they were denied.
School administrators had concerns about the safety of students on the rides and about whether they would have adequate supervision in the park, school spokesman Tom Cupitt said.
A school division rule, put in place in 2006, banned trips to amusement parks and water parks.
Students would be allowed to travel to Florida to perform but would not be allowed to go on park rides, Cupitt said.
In a meeting with school officials last week, parents said they were told there needed to be more educational aspects to the trip.
Trip organizers submitted a revised itinerary Monday afternoon that included a trip to the Kennedy Space Center and educational activities at Epcot in Disney World.
Later Monday, dozens of students and parents, many wearing band T-shirts, attended the board meeting to show their support for the trip to Disney World - with students allowed to go on rides.
"Honestly, do we have to do everything because of an SOL?" said Grassfield High School band parent Melinda Russell. "Kids should be able to enjoy just being a kid."
The School Board went into closed session to discuss the issue and had not made a decision by deadline.
"We recognize that this is a very important issue to you," said board Chairwoman Sheila Hill-Russ. "It is to us as well."
Alicia Wittmeyer, (757) 222-5216, alicia.wittmeyer@pilotonline.com
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This is so stupid...
I performed in my high school choral ensembles-for YEARS, and while we didn't go out of state, we DID go to places like Busch Gardens and Kings Dominion. We had permission slips stating that we would be performing at the park AND would be enjoying the park resources after the performance. We ALSO had to pay for the trip ourselves (Bus, costume, park fare, blah, blah, blah). If these students have to PAY for this trip, then they should be able to enjoy what they're paying for-INCLUDING the park rides. If THIS type of ridiculous crap keeps up, I foresee a MAJOR decline in the CPS' music dept's students. Is it worth an empty band playing at Pep Rallies and game half time's? Poor kids. I think the ENTIRE city of Chesapeake needs a MAJOR overhaul.
Let the Band Go
As a past high school student that went to a different amusement park for band competitions EVERY year that I was in high school, I can tell you that this is the most ridiculous reason for denial of a field trip that i have ever seen. A high school athelete is much more likely to be injured on the field than one of these band members on a ride at DISNEY. They have worked hard and this invitation is an HONOR that the school system should accept. If the football team were invited to a national tournament would the school system say no because someone might get hurt, OF COURSE NOT, the superintendent would probably be on the side lines cheering the team on. Everything has a risk. My question is this;
When was the last time a band member was hospitalized in Chesapeake because they went to an ammusement park with the band on a competition? Now, When was the last time a Chesapeake football player was carried off
Disney Trip
The superind. of the Ches. Pub. Schools is "old school" and will most likely deny the students' plea to ride any rides. Do you think at this close to retirement age he will risk having anything "happen" while on his watch? Of course not! Kids can't even go on a school trip to a theme park and do what kids do - ride rides.
Statistics, Litigation, etc.
Theme park rides, on the whole, are safer than riding a bike in a neighborhood. If the trip to Disney World is a long honored tradition, the board should weigh the safety records of the previous trips in their decision. If the board is concerned with litigation, by parents of a student injured while on a park ride, they shouldn't be, if the trip is properly chaperoned & there is no misbehavior of 1 student causing the injury of another. If a student's injured by a problem within a ride, & he/she didn't contribute, in any way, to cause his or her injury; then by all means, that student's parents should have the right to sue the operators of the ride. Litigation, in & of itself, isn't a problem. If entities did what they should, at all times, litigation would decrease. Many won't do what's right, without being forced, by law.
Easier said than done
" If my child was on that trip, I would go as a chaparone, take them to the park, and be in your face about it. This school board needs an education."
That is easier said than done. When you chaperone a school outing,you aren't in charge,the school is.
GB High School Road Trip
The trip is paid for solely by band members and parents! Waivers are signed anyway, right/wrong? Parents give permission for their child to participate. If I were a student, I would not take a 12 hour bus ride for a 15 minute parade walk! What's the point!
Florida trip
I agree with the school board. They are there to participate in the parade not go on rides. The rides are dangerous. All it takes for one kid not to follow the rules and get hurt. And I know there will be one you going to disobey the rules. Who says they are going to have a safe trip there. They need to concetrate on participation in the parade and leave it at that.
Invitation
This might be a good time for these young achievers to consider joining the Libertarian Party.
They have just received a real life lesson about how government crushes the joy out of life with mindless bureaucratic meddling.
We welcome young people at our meetings. TidewaterLP dot com
educational aspects?
In a meeting with school officials last week, parents said they were told there needed to be more educational aspects to the trip.
Surely school officials don't believe that learning to play music, to perform music, is not educational? That the social aspect of working with an ensemble, of traveling and interacting with other groups from around the country and world, is not educational? If being a part of a marching band is not educational, why have it? Hey, I know it's a foreign concept in Virginia, but here's a little-known fact: Education is about more than just passing the SOLs.
I HOPE - sincerely - that the parents who spoke up at the meeting used more than emotion when pleading their case. It's going to take a logical argument to get through to these knuckleheads. I believe there are a plethora of statistics that will refute the 'safety' argument. Statistically I'd bet that the time at D
Unreal
This whold problem is ond of the dumbest incidents that I have ever read about. If my child was on that trip, I would go as a chaparone, take them to the park, and be in your face about it. This school board needs an education.