After-School Activities Make Educational Inequality Even Worse

[LibertyLover]

9. In the 4th grade

my daughter asked to take flute in school. We agreed and went off to rent her a flute. What we didn't know was that she had and has a talent for music. She loves it. We were very lucky to find a good teacher close to home and so shortly after she started lessons in school they were being supplemented by a half hour of private lessons each week. It's not much - many of her friends do much more outside of school that we just can't afford to do - but at least I can give her something she likes. It's especially important to her now because her middle school music teacher is a marionette and a prick. The only reason the kid stays in band is because she wants to play in the high school band. Her private lessons are what are keeping music fun for her. We are hoping that in January she'll try out for CYO - Chesapeake Youth Orchestra - and start playing with them, making her in-school music a small and insignificant part of her musical life. But I do have to say that the only reason we can do this is because my husband is a house-husband while I'm the breadwinner. We make do without some things we might want so that the kid gets an opportunity to play the music she loves.