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Should We Support Band?

2/22/2019

 
Some high schools across the country have eliminated band because of the expense. Of course band members have had to work extremely hard raising funds over the years for a variety of purposes including travelling to competitions. Anyone who knows someone in band, understands how hard they work, the commitment it takes. It's not an activity you dabble in. 


I wasn't in band, I played sports instead. If it weren't for dating a band member, I would've thought they were all geeks. I'm sure that some people wonder why someone would presumably waste their time playing in band because what will it do for their future? How many will end up teaching band or playing professionally somewhere for a symphony orchestra? The odds of making it are probably as bad as someone trying to play college or professional sports but there's a huge reason to support band. It's not that it's necessarily going to be a great career path for your son or daughter, but that it's character building. The life skills they learn will help them achieve other goals in life.


I certainly don't know the statistics in this case, but it's my guess that less than 1% of the prison population has ever participated in band. Is this a coincidence? Part of it is cultural but even in some disadvantaged school districts, band has survived the cut. Poor students in band in poor school districts do better than other students. Once again I ask, is this a coincidence?

Band members graduate high school. Band members make good grades. Band members aren't often seen in detention. Band members hang out with other band members giving parents more peace of mind that they're children are a bit safer when they go out. Band members are disciplined. A higher percentage of band members get advanced educations compared to other groups. There are exceptions I know. You see it's not the instruments they play that will add value to their future and ours, it's who they become playing them.
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Please support band in whatever way you can because the program is producing some awesome young adults. A shoutout to a special band member in high school, she sure turned out awesome!

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    Author: John Mann

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