Orphaned School Choir Fights To Sing At Festival

DETROIT (WWJ) - A group of Detroit high school students are demanding to be allowed sing after they were removed from the Michigan School Vocal Music Association Choral Festival.

Monica Smith, a civil rights attorney supporting the students, tells WWJ the Southeastern High School student choir was ousted from the competition, after their vocal director was suddenly reassigned to another school.

"You need a music director in order to escort you and direct you in the competition. And, they recently bought all their gowns and tuxedos for the performance. They're locked away in a closet right now," Smith said.

Smith said there seems to be an ulterior motive behind the policy... 

"The way to get around this is to try and combat these policies which seem to be district wide of trying to shut down these programs," she said.

Members of the choir have protested the break-up of Southeastern's music department.

The competition takes place this Friday.