Being involved in school means signing a responsiblity contract to keep grades at the minimum 2.0 GPA (some clubs, such as student council, have it at 3.0). To stay eligible you are entitled to ONE F. So when half the band is going up to the band director to tell him they can't go on a trip because they're ineligible, it stumps me. How hard is it to get all C's? I know these people AREN'T stupid. If they were, they wouldn't be able to play the music that they do. So when I ask them why they are ineligible, they tell me 97% of the time 'I didn't turn in my work' and the other 3%? 'my teacher hates me'. Okay...WHY does your teacher hate you? 'because I don't turn in my work'. So then they go on to blame the band director for the 'stupid' rule and that they should be able to play because of their solo... blah blah blah. wah. wah. wah.
Then there's the other half that don't pay their band fees. This case is a little different. Some people REALLY don't have the money. But even those who do have it, don't want to give it to the band. COME ON PEOPLE! $25 a week ISN'T that much when you think about how much is actually GIVEN BACK to you! Stop being so flipping stingy! Most of our band fees pay for the Spring Trip and the rest pays for football game transportation, competition transportation and food. Cheerleaders have to get their own transportation to games year round! Think about how lucky we are!
So in all honesty, when these friends of mine come up to me ranting and raving about how they're not eligible I tell them 'well who's fault is that'? 'my parents' 'critchfield' (our band director) 'my teachers' and an endless list of people which no name is their own. I try my best to help people study and get their grades up because, honestly, I hate to see people fail. But when some of them get $600 a month PLUS the $250 a week they make at their jobs and then come to school once a week, I feel no sympathy for them when their band fees aren't paid and their grades are bad. Which makes me the b*tch because I'm helping those who are actually struggling in certain classes and who can't pay their band fees so I pitch in a few dollars but not those who don't come to school and have the money. Sometimes I just want to slap them!
I was astonished when the time of year came around when my band director Stedenfeld had to post everyone's grades. People who were failing would not be able to go on the band trip. But this was getting more and more pathetic, especially the NUMBER of people who were failing multiple classes. Some were failing up to five classes! How does someone acheive this kind of embarrassment?
We're lucky that we don't have the same "band fees" as you do. We've never had to pay for transportation to football games or parades or anything. Our band trip this year was incredibly expensive though because we went to Disney and played in the parade there. We have a very poor community so it was difficult for some (like me) to come up with the $650.
I think you've heard enough of my band now. Time to talk someone else's ear off!
Im not in marching band but im in color gaurd. Since some people dont have enough money to pay fees we have an alternative. Instead of giving mouthly fees some girls do fundraisers and help out at the consession stand. that money is put into an account and put towards your fees. You should talk to your band instructor about the idea! So you aren't paying for them most of the time!
-carabara!
problem is, we DO have fundraisers. and lots of them. we work concessions at other high school football games, college basketball games, we work the snack bars at school...there's so much and yet people are still too lazy to do anything but whine about how their band fees aren't paid.
"Dancers are instruments, like a piano the choreographer plays." ~George Balanchine
*Tatiana Romanov