MUNFORD, Tenn. — When it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic, students in high school marching bands are having to learn to play a new tune.
Students usually line up should-to-shoulder on the field, the question now is how do you do this safely in a pandemic?
“We are all going to put child safety and adult safety first,” Munford High School Band Director Barry Trobaugh said. “I think we can, but it just takes a deep look and just takes people to adequately solve and resolve problems we’re going to be face with.”
Munford High is known around the nation for appearing in the Rose Bowl parade.
Band and school leaders have been planning since April and following Le Bonheur guidelines.
“We are heavily encouraging our students to wear a mask at any moment that they can, and quite honestly we distance them further when they’re playing their instruments or on water breaks, on lunch breaks and move about the various campuses,” Trobaugh said.
“We do want to keep everyone safe and keep everyone protected, especially our children,” Rep. Jesse Chism (D-Memphis) said.
Rep. Chism said more guidelines for schools could be needed.
“In order to have a certain amount of consistency, I think all parties need to sit at the table and find out what the best practices are and try to follow those best practices,” he said.
Marching bands prepare for the possible changes as they march to the beat of playing it safe during a pandemic.
“We are trying to watch every student and adult to make sure they’re emotionally and socially happy, but also healthy,” Trobaugh said.
