In Belmont, the high school auditorium is fundamentally a school facility—taxpayer-funded and designed primarily for student education and extracurricular activity. So I was completely astonished by the Select Board’s reaction to the School Department’s rightful protection of the annual spring musical’s essential final “tech week” rehearsal. I found their response to be petulant, tone-deaf, and dismissive of students.
Here are their own words, revealing a startling disconnect from community priorities:
Elizabeth Dionne: “The high school is the home of Town Meeting and I’m really unhappy with how this is playing out… It feels like we keep getting pushback that is not appropriate.”
Taylor Yates: “I’m shocked and really unhappy… I am surprised at the very small number of people that can dictate when and where Town Meeting happens.”
Town Administrator Patrice Garvin: “We made a request four months ago, and [the school department] is unable to honor that because of rehearsals? Not performances, rehearsals.”
These comments betray an entitled expectation that adult government meetings should trump a flagship student program involving up to 100 students—actors, musicians, crew, and stage managers—plus teachers and volunteers who support our students. Tech week, starting March 4, requires daily full run-throughs with elaborate sets, props, lighting, sound, and an open orchestra pit. Dismantling and reassembling for a one- or two-night meeting would be chaotic, costly, and deeply unfair.
Belmont’s leaders profess strong support for schools, yet this response undermines it entirely. Dismissing rehearsals as insignificant and resenting a “small number” of students reveals misplaced priorities: bureaucratic convenience over youth enrichment.
We deserve a town government that enthusiastically supports our students and recognizes the high school musical as one of the most anticipated, community-uniting events of the year—not one to upend with grievance.
Paul Joy, Harvard Road