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CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) – Reid DaLew knew exactly what he was going.
He’s the director of the Watertown High School wind ensemble. There’s no other reason why he would have sent a note home with his students last October about ‘Mother of a Revolution.’ It’s an instrumental piece dedicated to the memory of one of the gay rights activists at the Stonewall riot in 1969. The note said: “The purpose behind studying ‘Mother of a Revolution’ is not to provoke controversy, but to deepen students’ understanding of how music reflects the diverse experiences of humanity. Engaging with this piece helps foster empathy, cultural awareness, and respect for the stories and struggles that shape our shared history.”
Not exactly. The reason for the note home was because DaLew knew, if the backstory behind the music became public, it would be controversial.
If his intention was to weave the LGBTQ experience into his musical selections, there were other ways. Chopan, Tchaikovsky, Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copelan, and George Frideric Handel were all gay. No one bats an eye when one of their pieces are performed.
This was a teacher’s way of challenging a policy he didn’t agree with – the school board is opposed to anything that appears to “indoctrinate” students. At least four school board members ran on that platform. ‘Mother of a Revolution’ was a clever way to push back.
DaLew is wrong on two other levels. Forcing his students into a controversy that none of them signed up for when they wanted to learn an instrument is wrong. So is an unauthorized field trip to perform the banned piece.
If Mr. DaLew couldn’t abide by the ‘no indoctrination’ policy, there was something simple he could have done to make his point: he could have resigned. If he’s a talented music instructor, surely he’d find another job at a school district where their policies more to his liking.
Chris Conley
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