Absolute Power...?-Part 3

Thus far in my examination of the steady decline of school bands in southern Arkansas, I have focused on directors and administrators. But in cases where these two groups are on the same page where maintaining a good band program is concerned, and a decline is still evident, where should we look next? The Arkansas Activities Association. This is the organization that governs the rules, scheduling, etc. of school activities outside the academic realm, i.e. football, baseball, soccer, and band. One of their duties is to oversee scheduling so that no two activities conflict, such as a playoff football game taking place at the same time as volleyball tournament (just to give an example). Another one of their duties is to set practice guidelines for sporting teams, so that no one school can gain an unfair advantage over another. Good rules thus far? I think so. But what happens when they are allowed to tell schools when their band programs can meet? What happens when they are allowed to set the regular day's schedule of band rehearsal; not the after school stuff, but DURING THE REGULAR SCHOOL DAY? And what happens when that schedule is adverse to building a proper band program, such as jr. high band not meeting with all of it's kids on the same day and when they do meet, they can only go for half a period so that some can go to remediation because the schools test scores are too low? Those are just a few examples of the dilemma facing some school bands here in south Arkansas. And, as if that weren't bad enough, the current president of the Board of Directors for AAA is a former south Arkansas band director. So, what is AAA doing with the power in which they have been entrusted? I challenge you not to take my word for it. The reason for taking so long on this particular post, and for its vagueness, is the need for more facts. So I ask you to look it up. See for yourself. Am I a conspiracy theorist, or is the Arkansas Activities Association operating under an agenda that will only destroy school bands?