Board of Education Policy Committee revisits gate fees, large crowd attends to support theater arts programs

Members of the audience, most of whom later spoke during public participation, listen to the opening presentation by Board of Education member Shelby Pons. | David Fortier

Posted By: Jack Krampitz September 30, 2023

By Jack Krampitz

Parents, students and teachers concerned that a Board of Education policy eliminating gate fees, if expanded to include tickets for arts performances, will undercut arts programming this year asked during public participation at the Wednesday policy committee meeting that the decision be postponed until the funds are added to the operations in the next budget cycle.

The policy revision passed 2-1 and will be voted on by the full board at its October meeting.

“Athletes receive millions and we get nothing. So what does this mean for me and for every kid with a passion for theatre?” Angelina Morin, a member of the theatre program at Bristol Central.

“While tickets for shows and fundraising is our only way of making money? Without that money, we’re hopeless. This decision has the ability to destroy the theatre company entirely and take away the safe space that the department has made for so many people.”

The audience was unusually large for a committee meeting, drawing over 20 people, including several administrators who were present for a brief discussion about a high school mastery course that was on the agenda.

Because of the length of the meeting, several items on the agenda were tabled. The entire meeting therefore focused on the elimination of entrance fees for theatre events.

Lisa Carroll, a teacher at BAIMS and the director of the theater program there, said, “The skeptic in me and the mamma bear also needs to protect my kids in my program.

Angelina Morin, a student at Bristol Central High School, addresses the Board of Education’s Policy Committee during public participation at Wednesday’s meeting. | David Fortier

“But until those dollars (from entrance fees) are secured and there is money sent to our school to say here’s the money for your program, I cannot in good conscience start a drama club knowing that I don’t have a guarantee to be able to raise the money that we need to defray the costs.”

Despite what might seem like a total disagreement on the fees, it did appear that the committee members, chair Shelby Pons and committee member Jill Fitzsimmons-Bula, who voted for passage and the lone committee member, Kristen Giantonio, who dissented, were in favor of eliminating the fees for the arts program.

The big sticking point at the meeting, repeated by speaker after speaker, was whether the programs will be funded because the original vote eliminating gate fees was approved after the final passage of this year’s budget. Pons and other commissioners are confident they will find the money needed, but so far the funding has not been explained to the satisfaction of those in the audience.

Giantonio expressed concerns that the financial impact of the new policy was not considered in enough detail, and that the funds will not be sufficient to allow extra-curricular activities to function as they had before.

Her main complaint was that the policy was passed after the budget had already been approved, so some groups might be adversely affected, especially in the arts and music departments of the middle schools.

During the meeting, Dr. Catherine Carbone, superintendent of schools, said that she had asked that the elimination of fees be postponed until the next budget year.

In reply to Carbone, Pons said that the board had requested a study about the fees the previous year that had not been conducted.

Lisa Carroll, teacher at BAIMS, addresses the Board of Education’s Policy Committee Wednesday. | David Fortier

The meeting began with committee chairwoman Pons explaining the primary rationale for the new policy.

Many students and parents had expressed concerns that the fees charged at the athletic and performing arts events were a barrier for them to attend, she said.

Bristol schools have a very high percentage of students who qualify for free and reduced-price lunch, she said, and they and their families do not have the funds to attend games and performances.

Pons stated, “So we asked the questions of the school district… Why do we charge these fees?…What are they used for?”

Pons continued that the majority of the Board believed that there were enough funds carried over from last year with additional funds available, that this was a good time to end gate fees and transition to a policy where the activities would be funded out of the yearly operational budget passed by the Board of Ed. and the city.

“If we know that 50 percent of our population qualify for free and reduced lunch….It just didn’t make sense,” Pons said.

Finally, she addressed the situation with the funding of theatre and music performances.

When the committee looked into guaranteed funding from the Board, athletics received around $2 million in funding and the arts programs got nothing, she said.

It was obvious that the situation was inequitable and unfair, she added. In future budgets, the theatre programs will be included in the budget so they will not need attendance fees to fund their needs.

The revised policy (seen below) will be voted on at the next full Board of Education meeting in October.

(Editor’s note: A gate fee will still be charged at the Thanksgiving Day football game and at any CIAC State Tournament games.)

Policy 3453: Student Activity Funds Revision

For the purpose of this policy, student activity funds shall fall within the meaning under CGS Chapter 170, Section 10-237, with the exception that no student activity fund shall be set up to include “gate fees” for sporting events during the regularly scheduled season of play (Fall, Winter, Spring) or “attendance fees” for other school sponsored events whereby Bristol residents and Bristol students shall be charged a fee for entrance to the same event. Pre or post season games or exhibits, and the annual Battle for the Bell may include a gate fee for all spectators regardless of residency in Bristol.

Notwithstanding the preceding exception, or requirements otherwise mandated under state or federal statute,

Student Activity Funds may be set up for “gate fees” for sporting events or “attendance fees” for other school-sponsored events wherein those same fees shall be charged to non-Bristol resident adults and children who attend the same event. In addition, schools are prohibited from charging a student activity fee if the student does not choose to participate in an optional athletic or other extracurricular school activity funded by the fee.

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