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What would you do??

Posted by Dazed and Confused on 3/24/2025, 8:35 am

I had a kid skip UIL C&SR to attend a concert at the Houston Rodeo. He played a major part in our program and waited till 4 days before contest to "inform" me he would not be there. Band Handbook states that this was a major performance and was required to attend, the performance was also worth 2 major test grades.
Due to campus policy, I had to allow a make up test since the attendance at contest was used as a major test grade. Now, the attendance policy states I have to drop his lowest test grade, the make up grade for failing to show for contest, and now basically the kids skips contest, hangs the band out to dry and then walks away unscathed. To me this sets a terrible precedent.
Thoughts? I am interested to see how others would or would have handled this situation.

Re: What would you do??

Posted by STXBD on 3/27/2025, 2:44 pm, in reply to "What would you do??"

Moving forward I would still let the kid participate in band BUT I get to choose the “level of participation” for that kid. For me they are no longer reliable. If they realize they are being cast aside, they will do the right thing and quit band. They made the choice to miss UIL and they will make the choice to quit band.

Re: What would you do??

Posted by Respectfully on 3/28/2025, 7:47 am, in reply to "Re: What would you do??"

*their parents made the choice to miss UIL.

Re: What would you do??

Posted by Retired and relaxed on 3/27/2025, 11:49 am, in reply to "What would you do??"

I had a student skip out when we were loading up the bus. I had him removed from the program as soon as we got back to the school.

Re: What would you do??

Posted by Um... on 3/24/2025, 2:04 pm, in reply to "What would you do??"

Missing a performance for this reason, should be grounds for dismissal from the program. Will your administration support this? In my district, the academic grade and the consequence for missing a concert aren't the same thing.

Re: What would you do??

Posted by My goodness on 3/25/2025, 9:14 am, in reply to "Re: What would you do??"

Full commitment or nothing? You knew four days before. SO frustrating. But...What did the parents say when you contacted them?

Re: What would you do??

Posted by Snerk on 3/25/2025, 7:23 am, in reply to "Re: What would you do??"

Because parents making that choice for their kids should always result in the kid never again getting to be in band.

Sometimes a kid is presented with a choice that isn't a choice at all. Maybe the kid waited until 4 days before the contest because that's when their parents got them the tickets.

Life is more than band.

Re: What would you do??

Posted by Okay... on 3/26/2025, 7:04 am, in reply to "Re: What would you do??"

Life is more than football...however in the original post, if you replaced "band" with "football"...Coach has kid turn in his helmet and kicks him off the team...and nobody will question the coach.

Re: What would you do??

Posted by Snerk on 3/26/2025, 8:42 am, in reply to "Re: What would you do??"

We're not football. Stop making that equivalency.

Coaches get away with literal child abuse in the name of "toughening them up." They restrict water breaks. They use physical punishment. They yell in kids faces. They grab them by the facemask or jersey and pull/shove them around.

It's accepted as "that's what coaching is."

If you have a problem with it, speak up about it - and then be prepared to lose your job for "not being a good fit for our community."

And to be fair, marching band directors sometimes do the same thing. Anyone still make kids run laps for being late? What TEKS objective ties to that activity?

Maybe it's time we stop worrying about trophies and start worrying about teaching. A kid was absent. Should they have their entire school life irrevocably altered because of something they may not have had a single bit of control over?

Re: What would you do??

Posted by My goodness on 3/26/2025, 10:47 am, in reply to "Re: What would you do??"

Our coaches have never done any of that, or any coaches I've been able to work with. I'm sure it happens, but band directors have practiced outside when UIL says not to because of heat. Worked at two schools that went to state championships, one a 6A. ... Coaches never did that.

Re: What would you do??

Posted by Yeah... on 3/27/2025, 2:51 pm, in reply to "Re: What would you do??"

Then you've never worked with coaches.

Re: What would you do??

Posted by Snerk on 3/27/2025, 1:46 pm, in reply to "Re: What would you do??"

Know how I know you don't attend football practices?

Re: What would you do??

Posted by My goodness on 3/28/2025, 8:11 am, in reply to "Re: What would you do??"

Both of my sons play varsity football...Our coaches are good guys who care more about the players than they do the game. Maybe we are just lucky.

Re: What would you do??

Posted by Um... on 3/25/2025, 10:28 am, in reply to "Re: What would you do??"

For me, we don't know enough information about this specific situation to make a decision.

I do like having the flexibility to remove the student.

Band is a wonderful opportunity to teach life lessons.

Re: What would you do??

Posted by MS on 3/24/2025, 12:42 pm, in reply to "What would you do??"

If you have multiple bands, demote.

If not, make sure he doesn't ever get to play a crucial part and is always doubled or part of a lower section.

You know you can't rely on him, so don't.

Re: What would you do??

Posted by Don't Do This on 3/24/2025, 3:34 pm, in reply to "Re: What would you do??"

Do not demote for a behavior/attendance problem. You're not "fixing the problem," you're shifting it to another director/group. Non-varsity and sub non-varsity bands should not be a "dumping ground" for behavior problems. If we want those students to be successful and, eventually, move up an ensemble, they need to have the best chance at success.

I do agree, however, that this student should work to regain the trust that was there. Double them on their parts, no solos for the spring concert, not a student leader in the fall, etc.

It's also important to realize that not every situation is on the students. Sometimes, it's the parents that make these choices. In this situation, we don't have all of that information though.

Re: What would you do??

Posted by Question on 3/24/2025, 10:29 am, in reply to "What would you do??"

Why does the attendance policy require a drop in the lowest grade?

You said the performance is worth 2 major test grades, could you make him have to do 2 make up tests then? Could be one is playing and one is a written exam, maybe even an essay over the songs you had lined up for UIL?

Re: What would you do??

Posted by Work around on 3/24/2025, 9:43 am, in reply to "What would you do??"

Make UIL two test grades. One for sight reading, one for concert. He gets a zero for both. You can make up one test, the other goes in as a zero.

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