Discontinuing Color Guard

[Laura Crook]

The Round Rock High School Color Guard was informed by the band director today in class that he is terminating the color guard program after this year. He is replacing them with a dance team. My daughter started color guard in the 7th grade and is now a freshman. She was planning on doing guard in college. Now she feels like her entire world is ending. She eats breaths and sleeps guard. It’s all she does. In less than 5 minutes one man destroyed her goals, hopes, and dreams. He didn’t bat an eye or even appear to care. 45 girls are now devastated. Has anyone else experienced this? This band made finals at state, boa super regional in San Antonio and at grand nationals. I think I will probably pull my kid and send her to another school. Kids in high school can be really mean. When your kid finds where she fits in after being excluded and picked on and then that is taken away is detrimental to a teenager’s emotional health. Please help me.

[gregorydf01]

Just saw this petition getting passed around called "Save the Color Guard":

https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/round-rock-color-guard-gets-to-keep-their-equipment?share=37b2b3f7-c859-492f-881b-bae6d3d3daa0&source=email-share-button&utm_medium=&utm_source=email
 

[FormerWildcat]

  On 11/30/2023 at 9:51 PM, gregorydf01 said:

Just saw this petition getting passed around called "Save the Color Guard":

https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/round-rock-color-guard-gets-to-keep-their-equipment?share=37b2b3f7-c859-492f-881b-bae6d3d3daa0&source=email-share-button&utm_medium=&utm_source=email
 

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Already at 5K signatures, close to double RR's total student population. I think we see some Austin area news coverage tonight regarding this situation.

[Tubalord11]

I've heard that they decided to keep the guard while adding the dance team? Hoping this is true, think it's the best thing they could have done. 

[AlphaOmega]

It's official, they have decided to keep the guard and add the dance team. All I'll say is this: As a band director, your main priority should be students, not scores.

To all those who defended Round Rock's guard either on social media, here, Reddit, or anywhere else, you are all rock stars. I am so happy to hear that you succeeded, and good luck with your future seasons! 

[LeanderMomma]

  On 11/30/2023 at 5:17 AM, Laura Crook said:

The Round Rock High School Color Guard was informed by the band director today in class that he is terminating the color guard program after this year. He is replacing them with a dance team. My daughter started color guard in the 7th grade and is now a freshman. She was planning on doing guard in college. Now she feels like her entire world is ending. She eats breaths and sleeps guard. It’s all she does. In less than 5 minutes one man destroyed her goals, hopes, and dreams. He didn’t bat an eye or even appear to care. 45 girls are now devastated. Has anyone else experienced this? This band made finals at state, boa super regional in San Antonio and at grand nationals. I think I will probably pull my kid and send her to another school. Kids in high school can be really mean. When your kid finds where she fits in after being excluded and picked on and then that is taken away is detrimental to a teenager’s emotional health. Please help me.

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You absolutely hit the nail on the head with the entire issue behind Mobley cutting the guard with seemingly little thought to the effect it would have on the kids in the guard program. He evidently never considered the impact his decision could have on so many young people!  I’m so happy that the meeting with the parents, guard members, Ms. Stone (the guard director) and Mr. Mobley last night resulted in the decision to keep the guard and to just add a dance team. As a former color guard and band kid myself, and mother of a former marching band kiddo, I completely related to everything you so eloquently said here. I don’t think the director understood the gravity of the decision he had made and I am happy that he changed his mind after hearing from everyone. I am also absolutely thrilled with how the marching arts community came together to help the Dragon Guard fight for the activity that means so much to all of is. We had groups from all over the country sharing and signing that petition yesterday!!  Bravo guard world. Bravo!!!

[Laura Crook]

  On 12/1/2023 at 3:48 AM, Tubalord11 said:

I've heard that they decided to keep the guard while adding the dance team? Hoping this is true, think it's the best thing they could have done. 

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We are so happy with this resolution! Thanks for all support!

[BandFan95]

Holy crap!

His problem isn't the guard. The guard at Round Rock is fantastic.

[Concerned Grandparent]

We are not in Round Rock but stumbled upon this issue while researching how to solve a color guard problem in another Texas school district.  

Scenario:

7th grade student moves to a new district in Texas and joins color guard at the middle school level while also playing clarinet in 7th grade band. No issues arise for 2 years (7th and 8th grade) and the student thrives both in honors band 2nd chair clarinet and also as an intern on the color guard team at the district high school in the 8th grade year.  Comes time to select high school electives and the student is told s/he must pick marching band or color guard,and after a great deal of discussion and soul searching s/he picks color guard.  Tries out for the high school marching color guard team and is selected. The high school band director tells the student it is in their best interest to stay clarinet in the marching band and tells the student s/he cannot be on the marching color guard team.  The parents fully support the student and make repeated attempts to work thru the issue with the band director.   The band director continues to refuse the students participation in marching color guard.  The parents file an appeal up thru to the School District and are strung along for months with "... we need to talk with (so and so) ..."  Marching camps start in 5 days and students are strongly encouraged to attend camp.  Student is academically gifted,no disciplinary issues, and talented in color guard. 

What is being missed here?  This band director is targeting this child! 

Can anyone offer any advice?

[LeanderMomma]

  On 7/11/2024 at 12:42 AM, Concerned Grandparent said:

Can anyone offer any advice?

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This is completely bonkers!!!!!!  

[tubapop]

  On 7/11/2024 at 12:42 AM, Concerned Grandparent said:

We are not in Round Rock but stumbled upon this issue while researching how to solve a color guard problem in another Texas school district.  

Scenario:

7th grade student moves to a new district in Texas and joins color guard at the middle school level while also playing clarinet in 7th grade band. No issues arise for 2 years (7th and 8th grade) and the student thrives both in honors band 2nd chair clarinet and also as an intern on the color guard team at the district high school in the 8th grade year.  Comes time to select high school electives and the student is told s/he must pick marching band or color guard,and after a great deal of discussion and soul searching s/he picks color guard.  Tries out for the high school marching color guard team and is selected. The high school band director tells the student it is in their best interest to stay clarinet in the marching band and tells the student s/he cannot be on the marching color guard team.  The parents fully support the student and make repeated attempts to work thru the issue with the band director.   The band director continues to refuse the students participation in marching color guard.  The parents file an appeal up thru to the School District and are strung along for months with "... we need to talk with (so and so) ..."  Marching camps start in 5 days and students are strongly encouraged to attend camp.  Student is academically gifted,no disciplinary issues, and talented in color guard. 

What is being missed here?  This band director is targeting this child! 

Can anyone offer any advice?

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Unfortunately, a lot of a**holes on power trips in the band director world.