Keller Band Director Suddenly Transferred
KELLER (CBSDFW.COM) –A high school band director in the Keller ISD suddenly stepped down Friday for what the district said was personal matters. A string of emails though between a parent and district officials refer to an investigation that started over concerns about bullying.
Mike Sisco had directed the band at Fossil Ridge High School since 2006. Students were called to an late afternoon meeting Friday and a letter went out from Principal David Hadley that Sisco would be transferring to Central High School to be an assistant director.
Chris Wetzel however, a parent with two children in the band, says he believes the move is related to his late August complaints to Sisco over bullying among band members. He says he reported a constant problem with another band member bullying his son and daughter. Wetzel said the problem was handled once, but persisted.
"My daughter came home crying, didn't want to go back to band," he said. "I asked her why and she said because she was being bullied by this same kid."
Wetzel said he then went to Hadley who dealt with the problem quickly. His son came home though, saying that Sisco had yelled at him, behind closed doors, for going to administration about the problem.
"Intimidated them and caused them to feel like they shouldn't have come to a teacher and reported a bullying incident," Wetzel said.
A string of emails between Wetzel, Hadley and Kim Blann, Director of Fine Arts, reference a subsequent investigation, interviews with parents and students, and meetings to discuss findings.
A district spokesperson Friday repeated what the announcement letter said, that Sisco was not disciplined for anything but the position change was due to a personal matter.
Wetzel said the outcome causes him to question the districts commitment to not tolerating bullying behavior.
"I take it as the school just passed the problem to another school. The district thought they could just move him and get rid of the problem. The kids don't deserve that. Those kids don't deserve it, our kids didn't deserve it."
The letter from Hadley says Sisco will essentially trade positions with Brad Allen, who after serving as assistant director at Central High School will take over the head position at Fossil Ridge on Monday.
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