Learning Disrupted

To the Editor:

My name is Katie McNulty, and I am a sophomore at Newtown High School. I am also a student who participates in the tremendous choral program at the high school. In response to this article about the current situation with our choral program, I was infuriated along with many of the other chorus students when Mrs Post was removed from our classroom and our learning was disrupted. Mrs Post was removed from school in the middle of producing our spring theatrical performance of Show Boat. All of the members involved with the play were extremely let down to hear they worked so hard to audition and make the play to just have their director be removed in the middle of rehearsals. A choral group is also going to Carnegie Hall to compete and in the future, Mrs Post was going to take all of the choral groups, with the exception of the freshmen, to Toronto for more competitions.

I am very disappointed and let down by our leadership in Newtown to let something like this happen and put hundreds of students through this drama. I am dissatisfied with the leadership in our town to have plastered her name all over the article on the front page of The Newtown Bee, when there has not even been definite charges brought against Mrs Post. What many people throughout this town do not know is how much she is truly needed at our school in order for our choral groups to have any success at all. She gives us the confidence in our voices and inspires us to sing. For the past two weeks, we have had a study hall period in place of chorus while our school was finding a replacement. I respect them for finally providing a temporary teacher; however, no one will ever be able to compensate for Mrs Post. I doubt anyone in this town has the talent she brings into our class and on the stage every day.

Mrs Post had made arrangements to take her Honors Concert Choir and Select Choirs to Toronto, Canada, during the second weekend of May. This plan was made in order to give her students a chance to compete if they chose to. This was not a mandatory trip; it was scheduled only for those who were interested, which ended up being many students. However, now that it seems like she will no longer be coming with us, what is the point in competing without her? As I mentioned before, she gives us confidence in our voices to sing well and without that, we would probably not be as successful as we would have been with her. I am very grateful we are still able to go on this trip with other staff members and the band groups, but I just do not see how it will be the same anymore.

For over 20 years, Mrs Sabrina Post has brought success and excitement to Fairfield County at a few different schools. Once Newtown High School had an opportunity to hire Mrs Post for the choral program, it proved to be one of the greatest opportunities for talent among the students to be brought out and performed in a long time. However, I disagree with the poor decisions our administration has made. Mrs Post has been isolated from the school and students without substantial evidence and official charges brought against her. It is my hope that the investigation will end soon and that Mrs Post can be reinstated as the choral director of Newtown High School.

Katie McNulty

8 Settlers Lane, Sandy Hook                                   February 28, 2005