Your thoughts would be nice.

bandteacher1 · 02-17-2010, 09:48 AM

Ok. So here's my dilema. Next year, I have a student who's in a wheel chair. That's not the problem. He wants to and in fact he's going to, partcipate in the marching band. This is unexplored lands for me, as I've never had a student in a wheel chair in the marching band. So our (mine and the BPA) major issue is How're we going to get him to and from competitions, as well as up and down from the stands. The Marching band only plays at home games, so that's no problem. We have ramps. However, when we go to other schools for competitions, they do not. One of the BPA members, Paul, is a carpenter by trade. He'll build something, if we can figure out what. One of the suggestions on the table is one of the drum major stands we have. They're specially made to go in the stands, and they provide a stable platform for conducting. Or playing, for our uses. The other part of this is we aren't sure if he should ride with Paul, or on the bus with the rest of the band.

Your thoughts, theories, comments, ideas, complaints, anything else you want to add would be nice. I'm just trying to get some opinions from people who are outside the program, for we're split right down the middle.

P A N · 02-17-2010, 10:55 AM

i'm not sure exactly what you're looking for. i think i just can't picture it. but, i can just say that it would probably be pretty neat if you could just get the moving of him to places his chair doesn't allow INTO the choreography. perhaps you could have the strapping-est of the young lads help out. but the problem with something like that it might single out the student in the wheelchair, and/or take much time to choreograph. but perhaps not. i have no idea.

bandteacher1 · 02-17-2010, 11:04 AM

Well, I do have two rather large guys in the band, they both play quads. I had considered asking them, but I'm not entirely sure if that's out of the range of accpetedness. What I mean is that I'm not sure if it'd be apprioate. I don't see any issue with it, but I've learned that my district just likes to throw wrenches in my plans.

And has for him being singled out, it'd only be by people outside of the band. I've already talked to them, and they're all for him joining. In their eyes, any who wants to play is welcome. Then from there, there's 250 of them. They have their own unique form of justice. I'm 99.99% sure that they'd watch out for him. It's an interesting tid bit of knowledge, at my school, there's more members in the marchcing band than all of the fall sports combined.

Neapolitan · 02-17-2010, 12:52 PM

If he is marching in the band how can he play his instrument and control his wheel chair? With most instruments, you need two hands to play them. I think if his wheel chair can switch from manual to remote control, the RC mode would free up his hands to play his instrument. Although the operation and control of the RC should be in the hands of a competent and mature adult. You wouldn't want to hand over the RC to some slighted teenager who wants to run over her x-boyfriend in the trombone section.

bandteacher1 · 02-17-2010, 01:00 PM

Good point, but invalid. We've already got that part covered. Paul is going to be his handler, in that Paul'll push him on the field, parades, reharsal, and anything thing else that has to do with marching band. And luckily, as long as the handler is dressed up in a uniform, it's perfectly legal. The uniform of all band members falls onto the desk of the band director, and I've already got his stuff ordered.

mr dave · 02-17-2010, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bandteacher1

However, when we go to other schools for competitions, they do not.

how is it legal for a school to lack in accessibility like this?

as for getting to and from competitions, does this student normally take a bus to class or does he have special transportation? if there's already a bus that can support a student in a wheelchair couldn't you specifically charter that one for road trips? i'd think that travelling with the band would be an important bonding experience for the group.

bandteacher1 · 02-18-2010, 05:45 PM

I agree with you Mr Dave, but here's the problem with that. Alot of the schools around here were built in the 60's or earlier, they were built before handicap laws were put into effect. But then they don't have the money to upgrade. Then you say that the state is required or should help them with funding, and then you realize that the state doesn't have money to give out. It's a rock and a hard place.
Luckily, at MICCA Finals, Lowell stadium is up-to-date, so they have ramps instead of stairs. But for the others up to that point, they don't. I put it to the BPA last night, and they're all for me asking Mitchel and John if they would help out with that. Those two are very into the program, and I have no doubt in my mind that they'll say yes without question.

And as for transportation, he get's dropped off by his dad. Unfortunately, his dad works on the weekends, all day, basically. There are special busses within the district that have the wheel chair lifts, but the problem with that is that they're used on the weekends for the community, such that an elderly person in a wheel chair needs to get around. The district lends them to the city, in return the city pays an hourly rate, such like a taxi. I've been looking into it, but everytime I talk to somebody about using one privately, they give me the red tape of politics.
However, one thing that was suggested, and is being considered heavily by myself and the BPA is that we have Mitchel or John carry James onto the bus, then just stash his chair on the bus or in the back of Paul's truck. I really don't feel right asking Mitchel or John to do this, because they will have their own gear to worry about. All the parts to their uniform, their own private items, and anything they need for their instrument (sticks) is a lot to keep up with. If nothing else, I may be able to ask Paul to put him on the bus.

Edit: Just so you know, you guys are being used as a think tank. Thanks alot!

mr dave · 02-18-2010, 07:41 PM

that's a rough predicament. i remember my high school being about that old as well, but instead of denying accessibility it cut funding to the music program (although there were only about a dozen students out of 500-600 that would participate).

as for the bus, wouldn't it be a HUGE liability to take the handicapped student out of their chair for transportation?

Arya Stark · 02-18-2010, 09:40 PM

Pit?

bandteacher1 · 02-19-2010, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr dave

that's a rough predicament. i remember my high school being about that old as well, but instead of denying accessibility it cut funding to the music program (although there were only about a dozen students out of 500-600 that would participate).

as for the bus, wouldn't it be a HUGE liability to take the handicapped student out of their chair for transportation?

Luckily, the arts in my district are protected from budget cuts by the school, because we're self funded. The arts teachers in my district got together a few years ago, and formed the arts councile. We do fund raisingers, and we plan our own budget. The reason we formed this council was because otherwise, the 2001-2002 school year would NOT of have had any arts. No music, no theater, no art, no woodshop, no computer tech classes. And 40 or so teachers in the district woulda been out of a job. (By the way, my high school is a regional high school, so we have our own district that overlaps 4 or 5 others.)

And the bus issue is a major issue. However, I have talked to him and his parents, as long as his chair is nearby, they really don't have any issue picking him up out the chair and putting him on the bus. I just have to get it writing.

And Sugar, he plays flute. He said he wanted to march flute, so I have to respect that.

02-17-2010, 10:55 AM	#2 (permalink)
P A N DO LIKE YOU. Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 629	i'm not sure exactly what you're looking for. i think i just can't picture it. but, i can just say that it would probably be pretty neat if you could just get the moving of him to places his chair doesn't allow INTO the choreography. perhaps you could have the strapping-est of the young lads help out. but the problem with something like that it might single out the student in the wheelchair, and/or take much time to choreograph. but perhaps not. i have no idea.