Corsicana H.S.

Sometimes people get their heads screwed on wrong and bad things happen to good people.  One can bring it upon himself by doing "stupid things."   It might be that old "can't see the forest for all the trees" concept.   But bad things have happened to good people - and some (not all) are self - inflicted. 

To muddy these waters a bit:  I have had good things happen to me when I was good.  I've had bad things happen when I was bad.  Conversely,  good things have happened to me when I was bad, and bad things happened when I was rfeally good.   There does not seem to be a rule concerning this particular issue.   I have looked:  it is not in the Constitution.

The Corsicana band director last Monday (week ago) was accused of sending sexually explicit text messages to one of his students.   By Tuesday he had resigned.  It took until Friday for the Dallas stations to pick up on it.  The press does love this type of story. 

I do not know what happened.  I have never met the guy  (Rick Wygant).   He doesn't know me.  I do not know anything about the student (at this point, I assume it is a female student - even though I never heard that).   And more importantly,  I don't want to know anything.  Leave me out of this problem.   They tell me that Rick is a terrific trumpet player.  We trumpeters do have an arrogance problem at times.  I have seen his Corsicana band.  They are not in the top competitively; but are far from being terrible.

My issue is that somewhere down the line someone turned off the brain function that eliminates problems like this.  We all know that teenagers lack a mature brain.   They look at the world through different lenses than we - [ I might add (politically) like these squirts who are doing all of this "occupy" protests. They have not the slightest idea that protest should be aimed at the goverenment - not the businesses that make America great. ]  He should have known better.  Students do not always see the consequences of certain actions.

Rick made a mistake of putting something in writing - a text message on the phone to a girl - she won't deleted it - and, when troubled, she will share with her best friend or troup of friends.   Now, teenage girls do this type of thing all the time.  They write notes to each other with some of the wildest stuff.  Then, she is are destroyed when the note shows up in a public place.  I own several of these notes in a box in the garage.  Never write something that should be said - in person - it will come back to bite you.

Side bar:  Three of my favorites:  1.)  my mom gave me a note written by a 3rd grade girl.  The girl stated that when she got home, she took off all her clothes, climbed up on the dresser, looked in the mirror and said, "you're tuff."   2.)  a 6 page note written in hot pink ink - single spaced - both sides of paper -  in which a girl is suggesting certain sexual activities to her boyfriend in order to keep him happy.   He answered back in blue on the same paper.  It was quite detailed.   What's funny is his cool response:  "I guess we could do that if you want..."    3.)   a girl writes a note attacking several other girls - last sentence "don't lose this note."  It was not lost.  It was left in plain sight on a music stand.   But, I regress.

Now Wygant faces 10 years or so in prison - if nothing else, certainly he faces a career change - if he is not making license plates, he won't be  back in teaching for quite a while.  Went to school with a guy (Dalvin Boone) who was a fantastic trumpet player and person.  He was on the right track being chosen as band director for Amarillo H.S.  This was in the early 60s.  He went out with the guys to celebrate - leaving the bar, he wet the pavement - beer - what goes in, must come out.  Arrested for public displan, he lost that job before it began.  He was such a good guy.  

What did he do?  Dalvin pulled up stakes and moved to work on his Master or PhD at some major midwest University like Michigan or Ohio State - some big school.  I know nothing after that.  Good guy in college.  Bad situation afterwards.  It is a shame.

A thought:   Universities need to have a class in ethics - or whatever it is to be called.  All of these type of situations should be discussed with young, weak minds as they prepare to enter teaching.   They should learn the pitfalls as they learn how to give CPR or to teach the minor scale.

Perhaps, just maybe,   a school system should have this as a fall training topic when they have those unrelenting boring sessions prior to school.  Those meetings are such a drain of one's brain.  I don't suppose they will ever quit.  Everyone has a new plan to improve teaching / discipline / etc. - a hot new plan is offered each year - doesn't matter.  The good teachers teach; the bad ones "occupy" space.

The rambling is over.   I feel sorry for the student - I feel sorry for Rick - I feel sorry for the Corsicana Band program - I feel sorry for the family of the above - I feel sorry for the other band directors in the local system - I feel for the administrators who must be scrambling to correct a bad situation.

Here is an issue that probably won't get much notice.  One of the remaining 3 directors has been chosen as interim director.  I believe she plans to apply for the head job eventually.  If she is not selected, I am sure she will be in a compromised position with the new director.  She should find a way to apply but not be embarrassed if ignored for the job.  It is a tough world out there.  

I am retired ....  might I add:  sitting on my backporch watching the lake dry up.

Later guys, call me if you need me to solve your problems.
mtz