This Week

Preaching Or Teaching?

Co

r music curriculum divides Walled Lake Schools.

DIANA LIEBERMAN
Staff Writer

popular Walled Lake Middle School teacher
will not be returning next year, and the dis-
trict's Jewish parents hope his dismissal .
won't make life difficult for their children.
Administrators in the Walled Lake Consolidated
Schools have not renewed the contract of middle
school choir director Tom Stokes. The reason given
for the non-renewal is "insubordination." But many
people feel he is being let go because he taught too
many songs containing Christian sacred texts.
Stokes, who is on the executive'board of the
Michigan School Vocal Music Association, came to •
Walled Lake in 1998 after 25 years in the Traverse City
Schools. New teachers are on probation for two years.
In a written statement, Walled Lake
Superintendent James Geisler said the issue is one of
employment — not emotion, music, fairness or reli-
gion. The decision, he said, was made "in accor-
dance with laws governing public school districts in
Michigan and 'employment law in general. As a
result, we have not and will not engage in public -
discussion of the details of this particular decision."
In January, Rabbi Paul Yedwab of Temple Israel
in West Bloomfield spoke with Stokes about reli-
gious sensitivity in music programming, at the dis-
trict's request.
"I have not an iota of information that this was
the issue that caused a non-tenured teacher not to
have his contract renewed;" Rabbi- Yedwab said this
week. "To assume this is the only issue is a mistake."
Rabbi Yedwab said he understands the district's
reluctance to say more on a personnel issue. "If this
school district has any integrity, which I know they
do, they're not going to smear the teacher's name in
front of the entire community."

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Speaking Out

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More than 200 supporters of the music teacher came
to the district's May 18 board meeting, after being
alerted by a letter from the Walled Lake Western Band
Boosters. About two dozen praised Stokes and dis-
agreed with the board decision, to vigorous applause.
Scott Goldman of West Bloomfield, - who attends
Walled Lake Western High School, said choir has
helped him learn world history.
'Although certain songs have a lot of religious
background, they are sung for the good of the
music, not for preaching or religion, but to teach us
how to sing the song," said Goldman, who is Jewish.
Walled Lake resident Matt Glenn, another Walled
Lake Western student, read a statement by his moth-
er, Elaine. In 1995, she, too, had complained about
the music curriculum, but said she had since
changed her mind.
He read her advice to other Jewish parents: "'Have

_

continued outside. Among the par-
confidence in who you
ticipants was Michael Fabian of
are. This is not the
West Bloomfield. Fabian, who is
Holocaust. If your
Jewish, said his children loved choir.
child feels uneasy
However, "he [Stokes] was asked to
about a particular song,
remove the songs when there was
then don't sing it.
sensitivity He chose not to follow
"'Check with other
the orders of his boss. You know
districts. I don't believe
what happens then."
our music choices are
West Bloomfield resident Alison
out of line. They are
Berlin said she objected to public
consistent with other
school children singing so many
districts."'
songs that are heavily involved in
Although they were
Christian theology
not students of Stokes'
"He seems to think singing 'I
in middle school, bOth
Have a Little Dreidel' is the same
Goldman and Glenn •
as 'Jesus is my Savior,'" she said.
worked with the
"He just didn't want to understand
teacher through the _
and he didn't want a Jewish princi-
Troubadours, their high
pal telling him what to do."
school men's choir.
A former teacher in the Detroit
Many audience
Public Schools, Berlin said she would
members asked the
Music teacher Tom Stokes addresses the
have expected the teachers union to
Walled Lake Schools
Walled Lake school board meeting.
board of education to
step in if they felt Stokes' firing had
reevaluate Stokes'
been unjust.
Rabbi Yedwab said he felt Stokes picked songs
tenure. However, the district is not reconsidering its
that were "particularly doctrinal throughout."
decision, a spokesperson said this week.
Lori Miller was the only person who spoke during
Especially- provocative was the programming of a
contemporary arrangement of the movement "Pie Jesu"
the meeting in opposition to Stokes' curriculum.
(Holy Jesus), from the Latin Mass. In the same concert
Sixth-grade students are required to take a vocal music
were the Hebrew songs "Hiney Ma-Tov" and "Al
class, and Miller said four of the five songs in the class
were theological in nature. When her daughter com-
Shlosha D'varim," neither explicitly referring to a deity.
In a letter to parents, Stokes said his choice of the
plained, Miller told board members, Stokes had
"Pie Jesu" "can be traced to the emotional impact
replied, "It's a Christian world — get used to it.'"
Miller emphasized that she never intended to cost from the Columbine incident," and called it "a way
to deal with the issue of violence, especially violence
the music teacher his job.
Stokes said all songs chosen for the sixth-grade
against children."
course and for choir have historical and educational
Rabbi Yedwab said he saw the song in this context
as-a prayer, not an educational experience.
context, balanced by songs from other cultures.
Donald Cohen, director of the Anti-Defamation
League
Michigan Region, said his group's basic con-
A Different Interpretation
cern was that Jewish children not be "scapegoated"
"The thing that caught me by surprise was, in Traverse
and subjected to abuse from other students for their
City, I had been creating a program for the entire year,
perceived role in the music teacher's dismissal.
not for an isolated event," Stokes explained after the
Cohen said the ADL had representatives monitor-
meeting. In this way, he said, diverse cultures were rep-
ing the board meeting, and was reaching out to the
resented as the year progressed.
affected families and talking with the school district.
In Walled Lake, he said, middle school principal
These issues are not uncommon in a community
Karen Jacobson eventually told him to eliminate all
going through a period of transition, he said. "A district
sacred music.
that is becoming more heterogeneous needs to be sure
Jacobson has referred all statements to the school
it has the tools to deal with it. This will pass and hope-
district, which denies this directive was ever given.
fully it will be a learning experience for everyone."
Stokes currently serves on two committees of the
MSVMA studying multicultural curricula, and says
he is dedicated to that project. Eliminating Christian
Correction
sacred music would mean cutting off young peo-
The Teen Mission will leave for Israel on June 28,
ple from centuries of history, culture and beauty, he
not the 22nd as reported May 19 in "Speaking
said. "This, I can't agree to."
From The Heart," AppleTree, page 104.
After the board meeting ended, public discussions

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