Petition to Allow Wausau West Master Singers to Sing

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This discussion topic has been automatically created of petition Petition to Allow Wausau West Master Singers to Sing.


Guest

#1

2013-10-06 01:07

Master singers brought me through a time in my life where I didn't have many stable things. And master singers was a place I felt accepted, and I would hate for the students to lose that.

Guest

#2

2013-10-06 01:37

THE program IS NOT BROKE, why is School Board trying to fix it????

Guest

#3

2013-10-06 01:38

BullSh-t!!!

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2013-10-06 01:54



Guest

#5

2013-10-06 01:54

I totally agree with this petition.

Guest

#6

2013-10-06 02:10

I am an 85 grad of West and past School Board VP and President in Merrill. This is a chicken $!#@ move by the school board

Guest

#7

2013-10-06 02:18

:)

Guest

#8

2013-10-06 02:56

As a former student of Wausau West I am appalled at what the school board has nit-picked through the years. It seems as if though the school board is always looking in all the wrong areas when it comes to improvement. Maybe the school should focus more on their staff capturing the attention of students and inspiring them to further their education, instead of stifling enriching activities.

Guest

#9

2013-10-06 03:05

The foolishness of two people trying to tell the entire city what they can listen to in the public schools of Wausau. Shame! Power back to the people!!

Guest

#10

2013-10-06 03:12

This whole thing makes my heart sad. We are one small step away from book burnings. People need to seriously think about what tolerance really means.
Guest

#11 So much for WSD's Policy

2013-10-06 03:22

"We shall not discriminate anyone based on religion" my @$$.

Guest

#12

2013-10-06 03:30

I believe that music educators should be able to pick their own music and that sacred music is a vital part of a quality music education. The Master Singers should have the right to sing Christmas music in the community and I hope this will aid them in being able to sing again.

Guest

#13

2013-10-06 03:34

As a former master singer my heart is broken. Master Singers is a community treasure. Mr Buch should be commended for his stand. Thank you Mr Buch for my experience and the lessons I learned. Not just the music, but the respect of ALL cultures and religions.

Guest

#14

2013-10-06 03:34

I would also hope that they allow the elementary schools to sing as well. My kids look forward to this each year.

Guest

#15

2013-10-06 03:42

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
If we ever started following our own constitution again we would not only sing Gods name we would pray in school!

Guest

#16

2013-10-06 03:44

Bring back the Master Singers and let them sing whatever they want to.


Guest

#17

2013-10-06 04:02

I'm so tired of schools turning Christmas concerts into holiday or winter concerts! The tradition was made from Christmas! Without Christmas, the concerts would have never existed, so if you take Christmas out of the concert, you might as well take the concert out of the school.

Guest

#18

2013-10-06 04:18

We have the freedom to express language, according to the First Amendment. You are taking this away from us when you ban singing certain songs. If the audience is offended, or dislikes the music; they don't need to listen.

Guest

#19

2013-10-06 04:23

Should atheists be forced to sing religious songs because they want and have the ability to be in the highest choir rank at their high school? No.
Should the singers be forced to ignore the entire religious basis of music? No.

That being said...I also don't think Buch should be able pick out his favorites to showcase. A music program with 400+ students should showcase more than 30 people in the Pop Concert.

In my opinion, the whole system is broken--and before you can fix the religious aspect of this--you have got to control Buch. Buch handpicks the songs--you know that, right?--you also know that he is the Faculty Advisor for the school's Bible Club, right?...this correlation is no coincidence. The problem is coming from within--it isn't religion (or lack there of) itself. It is Buch.

You know who didn't eff things up with politics of family and picking favorites? Rico Jaeger. He gave kids a shot who never were given a second look. Gave me a solo at the Grand Theater the same year I was turned down for Concert Chorale. In the week following my solo, Buch offered me a spot in his little club and I turned him down because I didn't think it was fair to get in because I was suddenly good enough for him.

My brother and sister were both more talented musicians than me--never got their chance at Pop Concert even though my brother was in various local bands with a decent following--and my sister sang solos in musicals and other events. Buch didn't care for or didn't know my parents well enough to give a damn. If your last name doesn't fit his agenda--have fun playing third wheel to Buch politics.

Fix Buch, spread the culture around, and you have a legitimate unbiased program. Until then, the kids using his program are suffering--whether they are his prized possessions or the dirt he sweeps under the rug.

Guest

#20

2013-10-06 04:47

Please do the right thing and don't make me ashamed of my hometown. Wausau West Class of 1996

Guest

#21

2013-10-06 04:50

First our wausau city fathers tell me they are raising my taxes so they can make a donation to a group of their choice.now the school board says my grand children cannot sing songs that I had the right to sing for the last 63years. Our coins still say in God we trust. Still is the better choice over our elected officials.

Guest

#22

2013-10-06 06:00

Continue to let the Master Singers celebrate their music with others.

Guest

#23 Re:

2013-10-06 06:15

#19: -

Just so you know Mr. Buch chooses literature from all different aspects of cultures and religion.  The only reason that Christian songs apear is because they were composed by the great! Handle, Bach, Motzart and many more. The fact is that these songs were composed in a time era when the church had control over everything.  So of course the songs will be about God and Jesus.  Its called history. Those peices are what music really is.  Take them for the what the musical aspect is.  Thats what Mr. Buch does.  As a student of his I have never once felt religion pushed on me. It sickens me that people such as yourself are singling him out for doing the best job that he can do.

I would also like to point out that if you understood anything about how Mr. Buch works you would understand that he is infact the mostfair and honest person in the world.  The master singers is a group compiled of musicians that quite frankly have to be musically inclined.  Its not a group that he can take chances with and its also not a group nessesarily made from the best.  Im sure that there are plenty of great singers who didnt make it into the group.  Not because they are bad but maybe they couldnt learn the songs quickly (thats a nessesity in master singers)  or maybe they had a unique tone that didnt blend well with other voices. Blending is what master singers is all about so I would say thats important.  As a current member of master singers I can honestly say I was shocked by Buchs decision this year as far as who made it in the group and who didnt.  But after practicing and hearing the blend it all makes sense now! He is a very wise and respected man who deserves more than this garbage that your throwing at him.  To me it sounds like you are jelous because he didnt see your "talent" the first time you sang "My Country Tis' of Thee" for him.

As far as the pop concert goes, maybe your siblings didnt get in cause they werent good enouph.  Just because they are in a band who happens to be followed by a bunch of tone deaf teenages doesnt qualify them as a good singer or musician.  I am quite confident that I am a good singer and Im not just saying that but i have infact earned that title because I have performed in competitions that real musicians attend who have their doctoret in music and I have left them speechless.  But I didnt make it in the pop concert... does this automatically mean Buch was unfair?... NO! It means I didnt make the cut.  It means others were better than me. It means Buch was trying to make the program the best that it could be and not pick favorites.  Every year the people who attend the pop concert have never been let down.  Thats because he chooses only the best.  Because he has done that he not only brings the comunity together but he also has brought PBS in to do a documentry on the program this year!  He has worked hard for what he has accomplished.

I really hope you will give the guy a second look because he has changed my life for the better. And its because of him that Im excited to come to school every day.  Please dont limit that because you didnt have the opportunity that others had.  Life isnt fair.


Guest

#24

2013-10-06 06:26

Very sad that the WSD would make this move. Christmas is a national holiday and it is--like it or not the celebration of Christ's birth. We've already removed the word Christmas from just about everything in schools, and removed many "religious" songs from programs. Really shameful.

Guest

#25 Re: Re:

2013-10-06 07:28

#23: - Re:

As parents of four former students of The Wausau West High School Music Department Choirs (all four of their high school years), and multiple years in the orchestra class, we experienced clearly the best musical education ever offered in a public school setting.  To see our young adults strive so with the standards of excellence set before them and they achieve the high standard contunually, .... this was a unique blessing to us.  Though Music classes are an elective, we stressed to our children that they are required.  How much better they are as a result.  To hear them sing great musical literature from hundreds of years past and around the world, to the most current literature literally composed for this choir.....Simply Stated:   Amazing.

Our children are now teaching in West Africa, Nursing in Haiti,  teaching in Illinois, and on the Dean's List at a private college in Wisconsin.  Their music education from Wausau West High School and Mr. Phillip Buch will be remembered for the rest of their lives.  ALL of the music selections by Mr. Buch are designed to give all students a historically significant and culturally sensitive experience.

No changes will be acceptable to this unique program.  Changes will be considered to the elected representatives of the Wausau District School Board.  They no longer represent the majority.