The state recently set new guidelines allowing indoor music performance at public schools, but Barrington officials have decided to get more information before implementing some changes in the music program.

The decision to delay the program despite the state-approved guidelines has left some parents of Barrington students who participate in the music program feeling frustrated and upset. For months they have hoped local school officials would allow more participation in the music program, especially considering how athletic teams have been allowed to return to the playing fields.

Elaine Van Leer, the president of Parents of Note, an organization that supports and advocates for the music program, wrote a letter in last week’s Barrington Times.

“Our children have been diligent and patient and we have not seen any spread of Coronavirus in music classes. Meanwhile, sports teams have been approved to practice and compete, as allowed by the State and District. Yet our music teachers and student musicians continue to wait,” she wrote. 

Another Barrington parent wrote “Our town has done so much to ensure that our student athletes can get back to playing safely, and yet the student musicians in our town continue to be silenced, and I’m seriously at a loss as to why.”

Barrington School Committee Chairwoman Gina Bae offered an explanation. Ms. Bae said the district has a Reentry Task Force which bases all reentry decisions on “students' and staff's health and safety, guided by evidence and research provided and the advice of medical professionals on the task force, as well as from Rhode Island Department of Health.”

Ms. Bae said the Reentry Task Force met on March 2 to discuss the new state music guidelines that were presented by the Rhode Island Department of Education and the DOH.

“While reviewing the guidelines, the task force had questions regarding the evidence/research used to develop these guidelines, as no such information was cited,” Ms. Bae said. “The task force then decided to seek further information from RIDOH in order to make a more informed decision, and reconvene in two weeks to review and discuss any changes to the district guidelines.”

The delay has led to frustration.

“Currently, the Barrington School District is not allowed this new guidance,” Ms. Van Leer wrote. “The lack of action by school administration, the school committee, and the re-entry committee, reveals an inequity that many arts families have felt for a long time. Our schools do not hold the arts in the same high regard as athletics.”

Ms. Bae said the task force has agreed to reinstate music performance programs at Barrington Middle School, following the 14-feet guidelines for indoors. The task force also opened up the Hampden Meadows School instrument program.

“For the past month, the administration has worked closely with the music department to bring some of the music programs, namely wind instruments and chorus at the High School, from being strictly outdoors to indoors with distancing and PPE guidelines,” Ms. Bae said.

“Our intention is to continue to expand our music programs based on RIDOH's responses to our safety questions.”

Ms. Van Leer’s letter documented the state’s new guidance allowing musicians to perform indoors if masked and six feet apart.

“We urge you to take a moment to familiarize yourself with it,” she wrote. “Current Barrington allowance is outdated, unnecessarily restrictive, and allows for almost no student participation at the middle school and elementary level due to room sizes. It is the same as telling a basketball team that only 3 players are allowed on the court at a time.”

The reentry task force is comprised of school administrators, school nurses, the school physician, school committee members, teachers and some parents.