Bombings won’t keep Redbirds from London
BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer

ALLENTOWN — The Allentown High School Redbird Marching Band still plans to celebrate the new year in London.

Earlier this year, Queen Elizabeth II sent the band an invitation to perform in the 2006 New Year’s Day Parade-London. But the bombings of London’s transit system in early July caused some parents to rethink things.

At the Sept. 21 Board of Education meeting, band parents affirmed that their children will go on the trip to England.

AHS Assistant Vice Principal Connie Embley told the board that all 81 band members recently had been surveyed regarding their feelings about the trip. She also said that when band members and their families met on Aug. 26 with Robert Bone, the executive director of the London parade, it was standing-room-only. Embley said Bone explained the security measures London would take to assure the safety of the parade and its participants.

Embley said that everyone who was planning to go on the trip initially made a $500 deposit. The second installment of $600 was due Sept. 7 but was delayed until Sept. 30 so the board could re-evaluate the situation in light of the summer bombings.

Band members must pay a third deposit of $850 by Nov. 1, she said. Those going on the trip would leave for England a few days after Christmas.

Of the 81 band members surveyed, according to Embley, 10 of them did not respond. Of those who did respond, 55 had indicated they would go on the trip, while 16 said they would not.

Embley said the band’s parent president had e-mailed and also called the 10 nonrespondents, but had still not heard from them. She said half the band was needed in order to go to London, and that nearly two-thirds of band members plan on making the trip overseas.

Board President Jeanette Bressi will take the trip to London with her family to show support for the band, although they will not officially be part of the school trip.

Bressi said the board did not need to formally vote that night, as its previous vote was already on record.

Band parents in the audience thanked the board for the effort it had shown in approving the trip.

One parent said additional band members may go on the trip, as an informal poll counted 63 students who were planning to head to London.

Another band parent said her daughter is going on the trip as a band member, and that the rest of her family will fly to London on their own. She said she thought that such a scenario might be the case with other families as well.

That night, the board was also considering the approval of school trips to New York City and Baltimore. Board member Christopher Stampe said he is strongly in favor of the London trip. He said if the event is looked at rationally, it would parallel going on a trip to New York City. Logically, according to Stampe, children would be as safe in London as they would be in New York City.

Board member Howard Kreiger said that after the July bombings, he had wavered in his feelings about the trip. However, he said, having attended the meeting with Bones, he is now “100 percent convinced” the trip is a good idea.

Board member Sami Qutub said that any band member who is not comfortable participating in the trip does not have to and that no one is being forced to go.

Board member Lisa Herzer, who once said she wanted to be certain parents did not feel pressured to send their children on the trip, said she is now satisfied that is not the case.

Board member Elizabeth Trent said that if her daughter signed up for the trip, she would send her. Although she once had questions about sending other people’s children, she said, after the discussion, she agreed with the decision to send the students to London.