MONROE COUNTY, Tenn. — In March, Sequoyah High School's band season was put on hold after a man who volunteer as the band's driver and hauled their equipment was placed under investigation for allegations involving a minor, according to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.
It said Kyle Rowland was a volunteer for the band as a driver, and he hauled their equipment. After he was placed under investigation, the band missed two competitions and will miss a championship over the weekend.
"I have lost sleep. I've not been able to eat lunch because of how nervous I get at school," said Ashyre Sartin, an eighth-grader who plays in the band. "I've always been somewhat of a loner. It's just different not to be able to bring my clarinet to school anymore."
She said playing in the band allowed her to hang out with friends, and without the band program she does not talk to as many people. The band was ranked nationally before its season came to a halt.
"Also, practices have ceased, so there's a lot of missed work, so even if we did get to go to WGI, there's a lot of gray areas and our show wouldn't be as great as it could've been," said Addison Willson, the band's color guard.
Both of the school's band directors have been placed on administrative leave pending the ongoing investigation parents said. The students now attend classes with a substitute teacher in a classroom when they would normally be practicing.
"We made posters, we went to the school board meeting, and they basically shut us down at every turn and I feel so helpless. Like, I can't do anything to try and save something I am really passionate about," Willson said.
School leaders said that they had no comment pending "the personnel investigation," Giving no direct reason for placing the band directors on leave.
"What we care about is our kids' safety. What we care about is our kids' education. Why were they made to suffer? Why was their education made to suffer?" said Sam Beverly, a parent of a student in the school's band.
The school's attorney, Chris McCarty, said that student safety is not at-risk. He said in a Monroe County Board of Education meeting Thursday that he understood parents' frustration as a parent himself, but student safety is a top priority.