Posted 6/27/01 Why canít granddaughter march? To the editor: I have a granddaughter who is in the North Branch Senior High School band. She is just entering her junior year this fall. She was told by the band director that because she will not be going with the marching band on their trip to Florida that she will be ineligible to march in any of the parades this summer. She talked to the band director and explained that she would like to march in all of the parades, even though she will be unable to go on the Florida trip because of financial reasons. There have been medical financial expenses in her family this year. Last year she went with the marching band to Vancouver. She enjoys being a member of the band. I am greatly distressed over this and I want to state that I think that this is ìeconomic discrimination.î It makes me angry that people are discriminated against because they donít have the necessary funds for a particular school event. What does this teach our children? I would like a good reason why children who canít afford to go on an expensive trip are banned from all of the other marching events. I want a better excuse than ìthis is the rule, this is the way it is set up.î Carole Mahaffey St. Paul (Editorís note: The Post Review contacted School Superintendent Dr. Robert Stepaniak about this letter, he was to receive a copy also. He had not received it as of presstime. He did say as a general rule the school shouldnít be denying a student the right to participate because lack of funds. He said there might be another side to the story. The band director was not available either. We will continue to look for an answer on this issue. -MHS) ©Post Review