The  Southeastern student choir is demanding that their choir be returned to official program status and allowed to compete in the Michigan School Vocal Music Association (MSVMA) Choral Festival, which is scheduled to take place this Friday, March 11^th at St. Joseph Episcopal Church in Detroit.

The choir was removed from the competition roster when their vocal instructor was arbitrarily removed from Southeastern several weeks ago and reassigned to Catherine Ferguson Academy.  The teacher has yet to be assigned any specific duties at Catherine Ferguson.

The students, some of whom intend to major in music when they reach college, have been practicing and preparing for this competition all year. Members of the choir and their fellow students organized three walkouts and a sit-down to protest the dissolution of the music program at Southeastern, but received no positive response from the district administration, and little coverage from the media.

“What is school without music?” asked Leroy Lewis, a junior at Southeastern and a member of the choir. “We are constantly told to work hard and stay in school, and then, after we have worked so hard in a class that motivates us to stay in school, we are slapped in the face and prevented from participating in this important competition.”

The students have recruited their former instructor, who is off on Friday due to the 4 day/week schedule at Catherine Ferguson, to act as their volunteer conductor if they are permitted to sing at the competition. They are seeking bus transportation or funds to rent a bus to get to and from the event. But without a music program at their school, they lack official standing to be placed back on the festival program.

 “These are students who have excelled, and who represent the success and brilliance of Detroit youth. They want to represent their city and counter the image of Detroit students as hopeless and incapable of progress. We hope that in this instance, instead of ignoring the courage and accomplishments of Detroit’s young people, the media will come out and cover this story, and portray them the real people they are who are overcoming tremendous odds to reach for the stars,” said Monica Smith, BAMN Organizer.

This is not an isolated incident for DPS students. Until yesterday, the JROTC students at Frederick Douglass Academy were told that their principal would not sign off on standard request to participate in a JROTC academic competition that is also scheduled for Friday.  That decision was only overturned after FD students circulated a petition among their peers and the Frederick Douglass Robotics Team stated that they would boycott the robotics competition this year if their classmates in JROTC were prevented from competing in the JROTC event.

“We are very happy to have won our right to attend the JROTC academic competition. We are done with being treated like we are worthless – like our talents and aspirations don’t matter or like all we are is a low score on a standardized test. We are the equals of every other student in Michigan. We have the right to a decent education and to be treated with respect,” said Ryan Fielder, a Frederick Douglass senior. “We stand in solidarity with the students at Southeastern and encourage all students in DPS not to accept an inferior education.”

Southeastern High School Choir Demands: “Let Us Sing!”

Press Conference

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

3:45pm

In front of Southeastern High School, 3030 Fairview Street, Detroit, MI

Contact Person: Monica Smith 313-585-3637

Posted by http:// TheBlackList.net 

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