(Editor's note: The following letter was sent to Hisghline Schools Superintendent John Welch and board members.)

The Highline School District is planning to cut the Band Program from Tyee High School and proposing to offer it as an after school activity.

Students who have other commitments such as sports, clubs, homework help or who work would be forced to give up a chance to learn music and earn a scholarship. Statistically, band programs offered as an after-school program in other districts have failed within a couple years and have never been brought back with the same strength as before it changed.

Several programs that HSD promised to bring back after a levy passes or when funding was available never returned. An example is the stringed instruments and the choir.

Is this what Bill Gates proposed when he gave a grant to Tyee to create small learning environments? To have three small schools that offer no choices in different fields of study and basically shoots down the chance for scholarships based on any trades?

At the March 6 meeting students and parents tearfully listened as two of the three small schools principals told the audience that it would be to difficult to create a schedule based on just around 40 students. Even though they do offer classes that have less then 10 students in each class -- an example would be calculus, which is not a required college class yet band fulfills the fine art requirement.

So after may years, parent see the investment of time, money, passion and effort of their musically talented child fade. And then other parents in the elementary schools are wondering why to even start their child in a music program when it will not be an elective at the high school level.

This will also affect the music stores that offer rental instruments which in turn will hurt our community.

In attendance were parents and students who tried to sway the principals’ decision in other directions by suggesting the band program to be moved to one school offering it as a fine arts course, during advisory time or during the time that some students take other electives.

The principals said it would be difficult, but an elementary school music teacher said he did not hear the principals say impossible, just difficult.

There has been success with the band program integrated into the school day at other small schools throughout the country, so it is a possibility with just a little effort and understanding on scheduling.

It is unfortunate if this happens because it would be hard to go to a football or basketball game and not hear the pep band or the excitement of the students who won competition and are going to support their school at a state level.

The skills students walk away from after being in a band program are great and studies have shown the beauty of students who have come from a musical background. These students learn math and reading skills, self pride and leadership, social acceptance of others and a great pride in their high school.

To take away a program that is this great is a terrible hardship for this community, these students and many more students to come.

I am hoping for whomever receives this letter to respond to it by attending the next school board meeting and I personally invite all media to come to this meeting at North Hill Elementary School in the Highline School District on March 22 at 5:30 p.m.

I am expecting a packed house with support from current and upcoming community interest in this matter. Thank you for your support in keeping the band program in one small school at Tyee High School.

A Concerned Parent

Linda Elmore

SeaTac