Meanwhile....Back In Sun Prairie....Can You Hear The Music?

...as in the Sound of Sun Prairie?

We keep hearing that that issue continues to heat up and is in danger of boiling over.  We hear more resignations are coming down the pipe.  We also hear that this issue of program unity and being delegated the authority to manage a program are the root issue...not passports.  There seems to be talk that the whole program could collapse like a house of cards.  That's pretty serious, folks.  We all know how valuable--and renowned-- the Sound is.  And next year will be the program's 40th anniversary.  Gutting or killing the program would be an unwise move.

The word on the street from multiple sources seems to indicate that the problem is most definitely not within the Sound.  The problem appears to be at the top of the pecking order, as in District Administrator Culver and Deputy DA Phil Frei.

In a shades of the boys basketball fiasco several years back (and who wouldn't have thought Administration would have learned there lesson there?), we're hearing multiple corroborations that 1, possible 2 parents (out of 99-100), took issue with having to obtain a passport to travel into Canada.

Get past for a moment that all kids sign a Commitment form that they will be one as a team and do what the team decides.  Because signing that form basically committed every kid to getting  a passport--because THAT is what "the Sound" said was the the way things would work.

Get past for a moment that the Sound has worked like this for many years.  It's not like they haven't gone to Canada before.  It's not like this getting passports was a new thing.

And then think about the fact that not one, but TWO administrators are purported to have told the disgruntled parents that, while they understand their position that passports are not absolutely required (and they are not), the program is requiring passports.  For the safety of the kids and for program unity, the program made a decision that passports would be required.  And 98 or 99% of parents were OK with that.  The other 1 or 2 went to the big dog with their complaint.

So...what's the problem?

Again...these are allegations until the wash cycle is complete, but we hear that the top level administration backed the disgruntled parents and indicated that passports would not be required. Geee...way to cut the program manager off at the knees.  Can you blame them for turning in their resignation?

Stay tuned, folks..and grab your hard hats.