Reply #7: We faced it with a snare drum.

[davsand]

Small town band teacher was pissed we didn't want to pay an obscene amount of money to rent a drum from her pals and she threatened our daughter that she would not be allowed to start lessons until she PERSONALLY inspected the drum we'd bought. Band teacher did not realize that the drum came from a local drum shop owned by a friend of ours (he was one of several local musicians that showed up to jam at our wedding reception back many years ago, his shop is across the street from my husband's office, and he had given our daughter hand drumming lessons the year before...) WE knew the quality of that drum.

I made some calls and found out that this particular teacher was well known for her "relationship" with a particular instrument rental company, and that any kid that didn't rent from that company usually was ready to quit band by Christmas because this woman dogged them so bad.

I took the drum in to the school so that she could "inspect" it. While I was there I explained to her where the drum had come from and that we had a "relationship" with this particular drum shop and its owner. I also told her to call me if she needed any contributions to the band program like sheet music or any other supplies--that I'd be willing to do some fund raising, if needed. We got along fine after that, and my kid is still a percussionist long after she's away from that teacher.

I knew damn well that woman was getting kickbacks and she knew damn well that I was aware of it. I could have probably busted her out for it, but my kid was still gonna have to deal with that cow in a classroom--and THAT was not gonna end up with any happy resolution. I would ask you--do you just want your kid to make music and be happy or do you want to bust out that band teacher?

:shrug:




Laura