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Politics & Government

$25 Student Activity Fee Nixed by School Board

In an unexpected reversal, the board voted to rescind the fee, which was to be collected from all middle and high school students participating in extracurricular activities.

In an unexpected move Monday evening, the Bethlehem Area School Board voted 7-2 to rescind the $25 activities fee the district that applied to all students participating in an extracurricular activity that required a paid advisor.

Representatives from both high school band parents' associations jointly approached the board, saying the fee was unfair to students in the band program, because it is a credited and graded class.

Additionally, students in the music program already pay an annual fee to cover necessary expenses, such as uniform dry cleaning, and both students and parents continually fundraise to support other costs, such as competition and travel fees.

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“Don't our children have the right to attend public school without paying?” asked Tamie Swain, of the Liberty band parents' association.

Jim McCormack, of the Freedom band parents association, likened the activities fee to an extra tax.

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Various members of the school board said they essentially agreed.

“I believe we could change this at any time,” said Board Vice President William Burkhardt. “We need to do things to encourage (students), not discourage them.”

He added that he doubted the activities fee would raise $50,000 as estimated.

Given the choice between immediately rescinding the fee or waiting to vote on the matter until the next meeting in September, Superintendent Joseph Roy said it would be easier if the fee were dropped immediately.

Letters to parents informing them of the fee were mailed out earlier that day, officials said, and it would be easier to inform parents of the change immediately. Fewer refunds would have to be processed too, Roy noted.

The $50,000 the fee was projected to generate will be made up for elsewhere, Roy added.

“We'll have to make the difference up through cuts or savings,” he said, but added he didn't think it would be a problem.

Members Irene Follweiler and Eugene McKeon voted against dropping the fee.

Follweiler said she agreed that the fee amounted to a hidden tax of sorts, but wanted to wait on the vote to allow the public notice the matter would be voted on.

The vote was met from cheer and applause from parents in the audience.

At Freedom High School, band students pay a $75 fee to cover related expenses, such as uniform dry cleaning, program printing, and mailings.

Liberty marching band students currently pay $125 annually in expenses, down from $175 in past years, and orchestra members pay $30, down from $55. Swain said the band parents found ways to further subsidize costs this year, realizing many have been hard-hit by the recession.

“We just can't make people pay that much,” Swain said, praising the decision.

Letters notifying parents of the change will go out immediately, Roy said, and any who have already paid the fee will be issued a refund.

“It's just amazing how this board has shifted back and forth on this issue,” board member Michael Fascinetto said.

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