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Our city/state(not completely sure) is trying to pass a bill to rais taxes by 1%. This extra money would go to education. If the bill doesn't pass, arts programs are pretty much buh bye. And our school is currently debating a merge with one of our feeder middle schoos, or (the stupider idea) our rival school. Either way, kids will die. If the middle schoolers come, they will get beat up. Theya re saying they will imprision the middle schoolers in a fenced up building. Fences haven't stopped the highs choolers before. It doesn't keep us in the school, it won't keep us away from little kids. If they bring our rival school in, things aren't going to change. Our schools are already worthy to be in a west side story movie. If they merge them, you might as well be putting a dead fish in a pond full of hungry sharks tat haven't eaten for months. And when I say people would die with this idea, they would. the band, yeah, we could handle either one. If we get little kiddies, we would be allowed to give them private lessons, for a price even. If the rivval school comes, we have a bigger band. Our bands get along fine. Maybe a few people in the bands wouldn't get along, but they could either suck it up or quit.

I totally feel you guys! The whole state is deciding on whether or not they're going to cut out all other classes that don't involve education! Like band, chorus, art, etc. It make me mad that they want to do that >W< If they end up doing that, say good bye to the kids that have a passion for those classes!

For my band and the others in my district, primarily the high school bands, we're facing the "if you don't fundraise or pay the money you should have, then you're not going to do anything until your debt is paid off" sort of thing. We used to have to pay band fees (but someone sued the district over it), but since we haven't been forced to after band camp this year, no one's really donated money to the program. We're super in debt, and now we're not going to be able to do anything unless we get the money. :[

But it doesn't help that the directors haven't been wise about spending when they KNEW we'd be in trouble. Our colorguard bought four sets of new uniforms this year (a few years ago, they'd only get one per year) and repainted the winterguard mats like five times. The band took a trip overnight and stayed in a nice hotel, rather than being wise and spending the night in a gym like one of our sister schools. Last year, when the economy was starting to fall overall, we spent over $4000 on marching band props that didn't help our show scores at all. Our booster club was being super dramatic since last year, even worse than most high schoolers, turning against each other and ruining the fundraising process.

It just bothers me that no one really took notice to the financial problem until way after the fact. Now we might not go to competition or anything next year. :[