The Gilroy Unified School District Board of Education has no plans to vote on the internal administrative decision barring choir concerts from being held in churches, despite opposition from dozens of parents and students who call the decision “ridiculous,” “terrible” and a “shame.”
That’s a sampling of opinions pouring forth from locals who, since learning of the decision made by GUSD Superintendent Debbie Flores in February, have sent letters to the editor and flooded the Dispatch’s Facebook page and website with comments voicing impassioned disapproval for the “very disturbing” policy change.
“Churches are designed for music, not cafeterias,” opined one commenter on the Dispatch’s Facebook page in response to the community poll that asks: “Did the Gilroy Unified School District administration make the right decision banning the student choirs from singing in area churches?”
However, according to three of the seven School Board trustees, Flores acted within her power when she made the decision to keep public school choir concerts out of churches, starting this year.
Following complaints from members of the public over the years, the district became concerned that holding choir concerts in churches was a violation of the separation of church and state and asked for legal counsel, Flores said. She was advised that public schools can only perform in churches if the district does not have adequate facilities for performances.
“In compliance with state and federal laws regarding separation of church and state, we need to make sure that all students and families in the district can enjoy school performances without having to be required to sit in a church, synagogue, mosque or any other religious venue unless there is no other adequate space for the performances to occur,” Flores explained.
The Dispatch submitted a public records request for the legal opinion issued to GUSD and was still waiting on a response as of Wednesday.
When asked to provide a copy of the counsel, Flores explained it is protected under client-attorney privilege, but that she would ask the School Board about releasing the opinion.
“I think that it’s important that we maintain the separation of church and state. I believe in that. I think that’s what public schools are supposed to be,” said Board of Education President Jaime Rosso, who offered his personal opinion and reiterated he was not speaking on behalf of the board.
Rosso stands behind Flores’ decision and says the School Board did not need to vote before the decision took affect.
“She simply has acted in her role as superintendent to make sure we are abiding by the law and that is precisely what we would expect,” he maintained.
He also explained that if a trustee is concerned about the decision, he/she can bring it up at any School Board meeting.
Several trustees noted they have personal connections to Gilroy’s high school music program, which has taken students to esteemed venues such as Carnegie Hall and built a stellar reputation as a top high school choral program under the direction of former longtime maestro Phil Robb.
Rosso’s nephew and three of Bundros’ children participated in the choir under Robb’s direction.
“My personal feeling is that I feel that they should be allowed to sing at whatever venues are most appropriate and provides the best acoustics – whether that’s a church or a synagogue or some non-religious building,” said Bundros. “The churches have been picked because they proved the best acoustical venue for the concert.”
Still, he agrees the decision was within Flores’ domain and explained that members of the public can always request the Board to review a specific issue of concern.
Bundros, along with Flores and two other trustees, also pointed out the variety of facilities available to the school district has changed in recent years, meaning the district has “adequate” facilities for concerts and can no longer justify the need to hold concerts in a church.
Still, when it comes to the sound difference between a sanctuary and any other facility, parents and students say there’s really no comparison.
Raquel Bonino, a parent of two choir students at CHS, was not a fan of Tuesday’s concert location inside the CHS cafeteria. She is now leading a parent movement to petition Flores and the district to reconsider its decision.
Bonino is President and Treasurer of the CHS Choir Booster Club, which helped set up 550 chairs in the cafeteria Tuesday night in preparation for the high school’s fall concert. She estimates at least 650 to 700 people were present, which means about 100 people were sitting on the floor or standing in lines streaming out the cafeteria door.
“There was standing room only and people sitting on the floor everywhere,” said Bonino. “They work so hard all year long and then to have [the concert] in the cafeteria last night where it is very echoey – it just doesn’t sound the same.”
The district maintains it’s abiding by the rules.
“At one time, there was a question about whether we had adequate facilities to hold these kind of venues, but I don’t think that’s an issue anymore,” Rosso said.
Trustee Mark Good explained that when he first joined the Board in the 1990s, there was no cafeteria at GHS and most of the multipurpose rooms in the district did not exist. Many new buildings have been constructed over the last 13 years, meaning there may be new “adequate” spaces to hold concerts, he explained.
Flores also points out that GUSD continues to improve and add to its array of school facilities that can be used for concerts. The third phase of renovations for GHS will involve cleaning up the acoustics of the GHS Student Center, which can currently seat 1,000 people and will be renovated this summer, according to Flores.
Bundros also heard the Rucker Elementary School multipurpose room has been designed with acoustics in mind and will open this month.
GUSD trustee Patricia Midtgaard declined comment. Trustees James Pace, Dom Payne and Fred Tovar did not return calls.
“Our administrative superintendent is basically implementing based on what is known to be the law. That is what we’re acting on,” said Rosso. “I support that.”
Visit www.gilroydispatch.com for a link to the petition.
