The following was composed by Wendy Miller, Guest Commentator
One of the benefits of attending a comprehensive high school is the number of opportunities for students to explore. Visalia high school students can choose from Linked Learning Academies, Career Technical Education courses, Visual and Performing Arts classes, as well as advanced capstone courses in several subject areas. But reaching those high levels of achievement assumes continuous enrollment in a student’s particular chosen pathway. The schedules of students who want to be involved in a number of activities as well as those who want to be ready for a competitive university can get pretty packed. The sophomore year schedule is particularly challenging because 10th graders take English, math, World History, Biology, the second year of PE, and a fine art or language course (to be a-g compliant) which leaves a single period open for student choice. The Academies are even tighter due to cohort scheduling. My son, who graduated in 2017, took zero period and summer school courses every year in order to be able to participate in band at Redwood. We were lucky because we had a car available for him to use and we were very lucky to get into summer school through the lottery. But not all students are so fortunate and some are forced to choose between meeting graduation requirements and activities which they care about. It has been my observation that once a student leaves a course (like band, choir, language or art) they are much less likely to pick it up again because of the break in continuity. Friends have advanced to the next class and skills are rusty because of the interruption. It’s easier not to go back.
What if it didn’t have to be this way? That question is the driving force behind the proposed waiver. I, along with a number of other Visalia Unified parents, participate on a District Advisory Board known as FASA (Forum for Advanced Scholarship and Achievement). Members of FASA together with District administration discuss ways to support students in reaching their highest goals. Maxxed out schedules are a recurring topic and the proposed PE waiver for band is a solution that allows band students to continue involvement in a program they care about by providing a little breathing room in their schedules.
Before continuing, this is not about PE versus band. Pitting one program against another is a grievous mistake. No one is denying that PE is a valuable program that addresses the health and fitness needs of students. Under the waiver, students are not exempted from 9th grade PE due to the important health curriculum. What the waiver would do is provide an exemption for one semester of PE for one semester of participation in the fall marching band program. This is a win-win situation for students and programs and deserves to be Implemented.
The waiver is a win for marching band by keeping students involved in the program. In order to earn the waiver, students must participate in two seasons of marching during their sophomore and junior year, effectively ensuring a minimum of three years of participation in band. If students drop band they must return to PE. This results in a band program with musicians who have worked together continuously making RHS a better and stronger band.
The waiver is a win for PE. I spoke at the February 26th VUSD Board meeting in support of the waiver and also listened to PE teachers who voiced their concerns. There is a misconception that if there are 150 marching band participants at RHS, that suddenly there will be 150 fewer PE students. This is not the case at all. In 2018, there were 52 sophomores in the RHS marching band. Of those students, 23 fulfilled the PE requirement through participation in sports/dance. Only 29 sophomores would have been eligible to exercise a band PE waiver. Across the four comprehensive high schools, PE classes would have on average 1.6 fewer students per class if all eligible students exercised the band PE waiver. PE classes tend to be larger than the typical academic class and PE teachers do not receive overage pay. There is no reason for PE teachers to be concerned about their positions.
The second objection of the PE teachers had to do with physical activity. Go watch band camp. There is no other conclusion than that marching band is boot camp with instruments. An interesting fact is that PE is the only subject area with mandated participation minutes.
Students are required to receive 400 minutes of activity per ten days under the California Education Code. FASA research shows that during marching season, marching band students already receive 556 in class minutes and 720 outside of class minutes for a total of 1,276 minutes of instruction per ten school days, more than three times the minimum PE requirement. Students spend hours improving their cardiovascular health, muscular strength, flexibility, coordination, and endurance during marching season. Just like an athletic team, the marching band is a cooperative team activity. A band member out of step with his/her section can cost the entire band a competition, much like a football player who runs a route incorrectly and misses a catch.
The waiver is also a win for the District. It cost absolutely nothing as there is already a waiver structure in place. Additional research as to the legality is unnecessary as band PE waivers exist in numerous California school districts, including Cutler-Orosi and Exeter here in Tulare County. Most importantly, the waiver supports the music program which the District has invested in and cultivated from the elementary years onward.
Finally, students should be the top priority and the waiver is a win for students. The waiver makes it less stressful for students who are passionate about music to stay involved in the program. In addition, music uses every part of the brain, and research shows this helps students perform better in all subject areas. Another benefit is that music is a course of study that reflects a well-rounded education on a school transcript and meets a-g requirements for college applications. Many of the band students began music in their 5th-grade classroom and have invested at least five years into music by the time they reach high school. The waiver provides an opportunity for students to pursue their passions.
The motto of the Visalia Unified School District is We Create Futures. As a parent, I took that promise seriously for my children and encouraged them to take advantage of the many rich opportunities available in school. Both of my children were in band from 5th grade through high school graduation. Although my children have graduated, I have remained involved in FASA because I believe that how students spend their time at school matters and that the high school experience should reflect a balance between academics and a student’s personal interests. The evidence supporting the band PE waiver has been discussed at FASA and collected over a period of four years and demonstrates that marching band satisfies the second year physical education content. The proposed PE waiver has been carefully researched to address precedent, Ed Code, minutes spent in activity, physical demands, and the number of students affected. It has maximum impact for a minimal number of students by lessening the stress for kids who work hard, are involved and invested in pursuing their passions in high school.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Redwood Gigantea.