Recently, a beloved band teacher's position has been eliminated at a highschool in Virginia. As former and current students who have participated in the band program and worked closely with him, we believe this decision has been made unfairly and will cause great harm to current students and the band program as a whole. We have created this petition to respectfully ask for a reconsideration of this decision and the reinstatement of the associate band director position.

This individual has been a very influential figure in our lives, fostering our love for music and giving us wonderful opportunities for success while we were his students. He has played an important role in creating a positive, supportive environment where students feel encouraged to grow, stay involved, and succeed. His impact carries into our lives today, as many of us attribute our success to the skills we learned from his teaching. We believe that the elimination of this position is unjust and uncalled for, especially when considering the amazing impact that having two directors has had on our program. 

This individual joined the band staff in June of 2022. As a teacher, he has taught 9th Grade Band, Music Theory, AP Music Theory, Adaptive Music, & Percussion. His skills are absolutely invaluable to the music program, especially to those who have shown interest in or have gone on to pursue music degrees. As the leader of our Indoor Percussion program, he has led an amazingly talented group of students to medal a total of four times in world championship competitions—one of those being a gold medal in 2024. In just the short time since joining the staff, he has taken the program from the brink of non-existence to being a nationally recognized group.

 If he were to leave and this position be eliminated, the indoor percussion program would cease to exist in its current capacity. Without a second band director, students will no longer have the ability to participate in one of the fastest growing, most successful programs in Virginia and the world. This is why we have partnered together to advocate for this cause. We believe that he plays an indispensable part in our community. We understand that decisions are made with many factors in mind, and we appreciate the time and effort that goes into them. However, we hope our perspective as current and former students, parents, and concerned citizens can also be taken into consideration. We call for this position to be reinstated, and for him to continue to teach.

We are not officially affiliated with the school or any school related organizations, nor are we supported by the individual mentioned in this petition in any capacity. This is an entirely alumni and student led effort. Thank you for listening to our voices and for your continued support of our school community.