Some Thoughts on Funding

When considering the issue of funding in a BOCJ program, and especially the issue of outside funding, including parental contributions, I feel it is important to note a few things right off the bat.  First, there are several parties that have a vested interest in such a program and how it is run; most importantly these include the music teacher(s), the students, the administration, and of course the parents.   Adding to the complexity of funding is the fact that these groups are not always on the same page as to the priorities and goals for a BOCJ program, although if the program is to be successful, the music teacher(s) will need to co-ordinate these parties as much as possible.  Second, we should look at what the goals of such a program are/should be.  One important goal is for the students to build their understanding of music through playing, listening, discussing, and otherwise actively engaging in the music process.  From this standpoint music seems very similar to other subjects, and if this were the only issue at play one might legitimately ask the question “Why should there be a necessity for outside funding to a music program?  Math teachers don’t run bake sales to get funds for books and supplies, why should music teachers need to do so?” 
                I believe one answer lies in a BOCJ program’s potential to cross boundaries in and beyond school for a connection to the community at large; a potential that doesn’t exist for most academic classes.  We can see an example of this potential in the Kashmere Highschool stage band that was highlighted in the movie “Thunder Soul.”  Outside funding was certainly an integral part of the stageband’s success as it developed under Conrad Johnson, and the positive outcome of that success lifted many other aspects of the school’s student life, both academic and otherwise.  Unfortunately when some factions of the school’s administration turned against Johnson, he was not able to navigate the waves of school politics as skillfully as he had led his band.  This shows that it is not just funding or musical talent alone that determines a program’s long-term success.  Regardless, we can see that there is a reciprocal relationship between the BOCJ program’s connection to the community and the necessity for parental/outside financial support.  This kind of connection represents the program’s potential to grow beyond a mere academic class.  Thus perhaps funding itself is not the most important issue; it is the connection with the community coming through this outside funding process that is especially important.