Some administrators, however, are balking at the idea. Maurer's desire to save taxpayer money is praiseworthy, but we think in this instance he's taking the wrong approach. There are several reasons we feel the school district should pay for the uniforms. First, it's a long-term investment for the district. The uniforms last 10 years, which is longer than most textbooks.
Parents already pay for their child's instrument, either by buying or renting it.
In addition, there can be private lessons for which to pay. All this already costs parents several hundred dollars a year. Second, the band is an activity in which a large number of students can participate. In fact, with an estimated enrollment of 200, band is the biggest activity at the school. It involves about one of every 10 students at Senior High.