Lose the Cross or Lose the Concert

If you're a regular reader of this blog (many thanks, by the way) you'll know that both my kids are in the music program at Mission Viejo High School. MVHS is part of the Saddleback Valley Unified School District, and the entire district from elementary through high school places a lot of emphasis on music.

For many years the district has held a one-night concert featuring the musicians from every band and orchestra program in the district, and that concert was held in the auditorium of Saddleback Church. It's quite a spectacle. The high school bands trade off performing from the main stage, the four junior highs are situated in various positions on the around the outside of the main floor, and the elementary kids are in one huge group in the middle. The only place for the parents is in the bleachers at the rear of the auditorium. The place is always jammed full.

The church has the only venue in South County that could possibly hold all these kids and their parents (not to mention parking), and the church has always provided the facility for free. There was never any attempt by the church to influence the program or impart any type of religious activity in the event. They provided the technical staff to run the sound system, and provided crews to run the TV cameras so everyone could see the bands on the big screens. All for free.

I remember the first time I attended one of these. My daughter was in elementary band, and the concert gave us a chance to hear the superb junior high and high school programs that she and my son would one day be a part of. After hearing the other groups perform, we were more excited than ever about her future musical training.

Having said all this, I can tell you there won't be a district band concert this year. Why? A family from a non-Christian background demanded that Saddleback Church remove the cross from the front of the church, lest they feel offended. The church refused, which of course was the right answer to an unreasonable demand, and since legal threats were implied, the church withdrew their offer of a free 3,200 seat venue. Good luck finding another venue, because there's nothing around here that could handle that crowd.

What a shame for all the band kids in the district, and what a stupid request on the part of those parents.