Band Incident - Statement By The Bertie County BOE

STATEMENT BY THE BERTIE OUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
December 4th, 2007

On Friday night, November 2, 2007, at halftime during the football game between Bertie and Hertford High School an incident occurred between the two schools’ marching bands, during the performance of the Bertie band. As a result, four Bertie band members went to the hospital with injuries and the band director from Hertford County was charged with inciting a riot. Two of our Bertie County Board of Education members and our Superintendent were on the sidelines and witnessed this unfortunate event.

Our superintendent commissioned an independent investigation of all actions taken by representatives of Bertie County in connection with this matter, including a detailed review of the DVD containing audio and video images of the incident. Based upon the investigation, it is clear that there was inadequate communication between the band directors of the two schools, prior to the event. Bertie’s band director had been told that senior night activities would eliminate four minutes from halftime, leaving each band with eight minutes to perform. Senior night activities and introductions ended up being held by Hertford County prior to the start of the ballgame. No one advised Bertie’s band director or any of the school administrators from Bertie County that these activities were not going to be conducted during halftime, as originally discussed. The Bertie High School Band did not witness these activities and was unaware they had occurred, since they arrived during the second quarter of the game.

Upon the Bertie band’s arrival, Hertford’s drum major and its band director each separately approached Bertie’s band director and emphatically told him that if Bertie bands show was longer than eight minutes, they would not be allowed on the field. Following these encounters, Bertie’s band director eliminated several portions of their routine to reduce the show to eight minutes.

At halftime, the Bertie band was not aware that Hertford was not going to do its senior night activities. They waited several minutes while setting up. No one gave the band any indication when to start. The twenty-minute halftime clock was at sixteen minutes when the Bertie band took the field.

During the Bertie band’s performance, Hertford County High School’s Band director came up to Bertie’s director and shouted several times, “Your time is up. I want my 10 minutes.” This was the first indication Bertie’s director had that Hertford was apparently planning a 10-minute performance, rather than eight minutes.

As the halftime clock approached the 10:00 minute mark, the Hertford band counted down, “five, four, three, two, one.” At that point, the Hertford drum major checked with Hertford’s band director before leading the Hertford band onto the field. Hertford’s director also was leading his band onto the field, while the Bertie band was still performing.

Bertie’s director then went onto the field and was trying to get the attention of his students, signaling for them to leave the field.

A confrontation ensued, resulting in four students from Bertie High School going to the hospital, three taken by EMS. One had been hit in the head with a bass drum that had been hurled through the air by a clearly identifiable Hertford student. The drum knocked this Bertie student violently to the ground. He bled extensively and had a number of staples put in both the front and back of his head. Another clearly identifiable Hertford student hit a Bertie student under his right eye with the metal figure on the top of a 48-inch baton/mace. Another Bertie student suffered a broken left middle finger when she was hit with a trumpet. She also had a cut on her right hand and was hit in the back of the head with a trumpet, and in her back with either a drum or a flag. A fourth suffered an injured finger and a mild head injury.

During the incident, Bertie’s band director along with our superintendent and others were on the field trying to get the students to leave the field. The Bertie band exited to the buses, under the protection of security, loaded the buses and left the game.

Based upon his own observations and the independent review of this incident, Dr. Zullinger has concluded that there is no reason to take any disciplinary action against any of Bertie’s students, who were the victims of a very poor adult decision. Only one Bertie student actively engaged in an affray, and that was in self-defense after he had been hit in the eye. And, while there certainly should have been better communication between the band directors, it is clear that the event was directly precipitated by an obviously planned decision to take the field at the 10:00 minute mark at halftime.

Based on this review, the Bertie County Board of Education sees no need to restrict any activities of its band. We have confidence in our students and in the manner in which they conducted themselves during this incident, which clearly could have been even worse than it was. The band is free to perform where and when it is invited. Further, in an effort to put this incident behind us and allow the students and their adult leaders to demonstrate that they have learned a valuable lesson, we will welcome and treat hospitably any visiting team’s band to perform during halftime of our home games. It will be up to them whether they choose to attend, and to confirm our expectation that they perform with dignity, respect and class.