'A Double Standard,' Dighton Middle School Parents Upset Winter Concert Was Virtual While Basketball Game Had Crowd
DIGHTON (CBS) -- In Dighton, some families say school officials are hitting a sour note when it comes to COVID restrictions.
Parents of music students at Dighton Middle School claim they weren't allowed to attend the winter concert last month, but the high school basketball team was allowed to play in front of a crowd the same night.
Dighton sixth grader Eliana Faria wishes her parents could've attended her show instead of viewing a recording.
"I felt very sad, and I was like, this isn't fair," said Faria.
On January 12, middle schoolers performed their winter concert at the Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School auditorium. Since it was during the height of the Omicron COVID spike, parents were told they couldn't watch the performance in person.
On the same night, the Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School boys basketball team played Bishop Connolly in front of a mask-wearing live audience.
Cheryl Waterman is among the middle school parents wondering why it was ok for fans to watch basketball in the gym but not ok for parents to watch the concert in the auditorium.
"I was shocked," said Waterman. "If it was supposed to be for safety, then why would they be allowing anybody in the school?"
A Dighton health agent consulted with school officials on the concert and has admitted to some parents via email that state guidelines for sports and performances are different, not to mention imperfect and confusing.
But middle school parents would like more clarity.
"I guess, just an explanation," said Len Faria, Eliana's father. "Just some understanding because it feels like a double standard."
The Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District responded to parents' concerns with a statement Tuesday, saying they have weekly meetings with the board of health.
"At the time that this event was being reviewed, we were seeing a spike in cases and it was recommended to move this event to a virtual experience," the district said.
"Navigating these decisions is challenging as the guidance provided by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education does not easily correlate with all the scenarios that we experience in the educational setting. In addition, the regulations from the MIAA are not always compatible with the DESE guidance thus creating an unintentional division among student activities," the statement read.
"We continue to learn how to balance the safety of our communities while providing for a variety of extra curricular experiences that are so meaningful to all. As a result, the district is exploring options to host an in person concert so that the students, families and community can safely enjoy the talents of our student performers."
