Parents petition for Michigan high school marching bands to perform this fall

High School marching band practice in the age of coronavirus

Members of Plymouth-Canton Educational Park Marching Band, practice social distancing and wear masks while at practice on Wednesday, Sep. 2, 2020. Nicole Hester/Mlive.com

The show must go on for Michigan high school marching bands this fall, parents say.

Thousands have signed a petition circulating among parents and students urging Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to allow high school marching bands and dance teams to perform during football games.

“Please consider letting these kids shine just like the others are,” reads the petition, MHSAA: Let the Bands & Dance Teams Perform.

As of Tuesday, Sept.15 at 3:30 p.m., the petition had garnered 9,675 signatures with a goal of 10,000.

Related: The show goes on for Michigan high school marching bands, just not at games

The fall football season was reinstated by the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) on Sept. 3, nearly three weeks after originally postponing the sport to the spring of 2021.

The petition argues that band members should be allowed to perform their halftime show during high school football games.

Other performers such as dance teams or pom squads should also be welcomed back to Friday night football games, according to the petition.

“This leaves out other kids who have worked so hard to follow the rules in their practices,” the petition reads. “These kids deserve to have their time as well.”

Kristin Selwa, a parent in Livonia said she signed the petition because she wants to see her son perform in the drumline this fall.

“As a parent, I am 100% comfortable with having him there and participating with how they are handling things,” Selwa said of her son, a junior at Churchill High School.

Selwa said she signed the petition because it’s not fair that football and cheer can proceed but other activities can’t.

It’s “particularly frustrating since of any of the activities that have been permitted, marching band has the ability to keep socially distanced while performing and go about things in a safer manner than others,” Selwa said.

Players and coaches will be required to wear a face mask during the football games and the number of spectators will be limited this season.

The petition argues that students can play in the band while masked like athletes and can wait for halftime away from the football players or audience members.

Related: Five things to watch for this week with the start of high school football in Michigan

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