The Tyrone School Board voted 7-0 with Becky Emenheiser abstaining due to a conflict of interest against allowing a field trip by the Tyrone Choral Department to New York City to see the Broadway play Aida May 21 and 22.
The motion was brought to the board by school board member Brian Bressler and seconded by Pete Dutrow after a parliamentary procedure question.
In the discussion period concerning the motion, the board showed its apprehension about a trip to New York while the terror threat condition is high.
“This trip was not supported by our administration,” said board president Lee Stover. “The other 20 trips you approved were supported by the appropriate administration. We have a flag on this one. I think it is an appropriate concern because of the tensions, the threat of terrorism and other things. Groups of kids are a wonderful target for a terrorist to make a statement. I think that is where the flag is coming from.”
Tyrone Superintendent Dr. William Miller spoke to the board and said that no money has been paid by the choral department so there would be no money lost if a negative action was taken.
“With the terror alert and where we are, we don’t want the responsibility for the potential of what could happen in a situation like this,” said Miller. “They did raise the money for the trip, but nothing has been paid. If you decide not to approve the trip, it will not financially hurt anyone.”
Stover asked the board to openly discuss the trip because as he said, “It’s only fair to the group that requested the trip.”
“I know myself that I will not put the kids in harm’s way,” said Bressler. “I can’t support the trip.”
“There are too many negative things going on right now,” said board member Cindy Whitby. “I wouldn’t feel comfortable with them going to New York.”
Emenhiser, who abstained from the vote, said that this climate has been in place since 9/11.
“There have been negative things for quite a while though,” said Emenhiser. “The administration didn’t approve of the long ski trip.”
Whitby said, “We weren’t on such a high alert.”
Emenhiser replied, “We’ve been back and forth on high alert since September 11. It’s been high and its been up and down.”
Bressler added, “Vermont isn’t an area that is probably a high target of attack. New York City is a high profile target and you are looking at going to the Statue of Liberty, which is one of the likeliest targets to be hit. An American symbol like that is one of the highest targets to hit in New York City.”
Emenhiser spoke of better border control and more security because of the terror alert being high.
“It looked good a couple weeks ago,” said Bressler. “With the war going on, you just don’t know what is going to happen.”
Stover spoke again to the board.
“There have been many good ideas and you have to vote what is on your mind,” said the board president. “You can either respond to this kind of pressure and change your activities or you carry on. You as a board has to make this decision.”
“If in fact we get things settled, I don’t know what the timeline is on if they can go or not go,” said Dutrow.
“I have no time frame when the war would be over,” said Miller. “Terrorism could continue for who knows how long. ”
“I understand the decision,” said Cathy Young, TAHS choral director. “The safety of the kids comes first. It was just bad timing on when the trip was scheduled. I know a lot of the kids are disappointed with the decision.”
Following the meeting, The Daily Herald asked why the board can reject a student trip with funds raised by the students and send administrators to Washington D.C. to attend the Safe Schools Healthy Students conference. The reply was: they are adults.
