Remembering a Man Who Was Brave for Music

 

My time is not my own right now but I cannot miss the opportunity today to honor Rob White, whose passing I learned of last evening. Rob was a musician, a teacher, and retired from the Howard County Schools as what was then called Music Supervisor/Instructional Facilitator for Music.

There’s a lot I could tell you about him. And I probably will on another day. But the Rob White I remember most is the musician with the heart of a teacher who was brave at a time when it was very hard to be brave. 

Howard County Music Changing?, Village Green/Town² February 19, 2014

This post, which garnered well over 5,000 views, was the result of Mr. White’s honesty. He shared what was happening to music instruction as a result of the Model Schools Initiative instituted under a former superintendent of schools. The information I learned in a meeting of Howard County Parents for School Music was exactly what you would imagine that a parent music advocacy group would be interested in.

But because he shared it, and because I wrote about it, Rob was called into Central Office and endured verbal threats and abuse. His professional experience and opinions were not valued and it was made clear that his job was to be silent.

At the end of that academic year Rob retired. He was such a good man, and gifted, too, in what he was doing for the children in Howard County. I never discussed this decision with him but I feel that he must have decided that the position had no meaning to him if he could not be honest and use his gifts authentically to support music education.

There is so much more to Rob White’s story and I suspect that, if you keep your eyes open, you will see first-hand testimonials from many, many local musicians and teachers who worked with him. My post today is a tiny sliver, the piece of him that I carry with me.

He loved music and believed in its power in young people’s lives. And because of that he was honest and very brave. 

I honor him.

Village Green/Town² Comments