School music programs to return to in-person

With Monday's announcement that New Mexico public school students will be allowed to return to in-person school full-time came the announcement that music programs can now rehearse in person but with a few stipulations.

The Public Education Department announced that music students can practice outdoors with "enhanced" social distancing of 9 feet, face coverings and coverings on their instruments.

Clovis High Band Director Bill Allred said students already attending school in person have been getting used to establishing the distance requirement, but have not been cleared to play instruments until instrument covers are on hand for everybody. Allred told his students during Tuesday classes each relaxed restriction presents an opportunity to prove they're ready for the next relaxed restriction.

"There are still more questions than there are answers," Allred said, "but it's a start."

New Mexico music educators and associations have been lobbying for a return to performing since the announcement that sports would be allowed to resume in February.

Dustin Seifert, Eastern New Mexico University band director and a commissioner for the New Mexico Music Association, said while public school music educators greatly appreciate being able to return to in-person rehearsals, there is still an inequality in regard to school programs.

"The inequity to me is quite troubling," Seifert said. "We are very excited that the student athletes get to compete with each other, and we have no idea why music students are not allowed to perform when there have been studies to show how effective mitigations can be."

Seifert said a study conducted by the University of Colorado and the University of Maryland early on in the pandemic showed the ability to reduce air particles traveling through wind instruments by 60% to 90% when safety guidelines are put into place.

Furthermore, he said, ENMU music students have been meeting in person since August with zero cases of COVID.

He said while he means no disrespect to state officials, "it does not appear our leaders are following the science because the science is there, and it's rather clear."

Clovis Municipal Schools Director of Music Education Brandon Boerio said public school music educators are excited to be returning to in-person rehearsals, but they are also frustrated that those rehearsals cannot take place indoors.

"I think the biggest point for me (and other music directors) is there has been a national study on the books since last July, and it's gone through two additional studies. We feel like that's enough science to back up what we want for our students," he said.

Boerio said all of the mitigations the district needs to follow to be able to have music indoors are in place, such as the appropriate HVAC systems, special masks, the bell covers, and the ability to social distance.

"Being outdoors is certainly a step in the right direction, but I think we are still going to continue to advocate for our students to have a (more) normal classroom experience. We're going to follow the rules and do the very best we can for the kids, but we're not going to stop advocating for fair treatment."

Editor Kevin Wilson contributed to this report.