Natalie Moreta, a senior at Mission Viejo High School (MVHS), was tapped to write the American anthem before an expected football game, only to have her performance deleted on March 19. The performances of other students who were set to sing at different games were also canceled.
“It’s just an inequality in the view of the performing arts in spreading this virus,” Moreta said. “How is one person standing in a field by themselves with a mask on spreading coronavirus, when [with football] 50 people are going to run on the field after she gets off and run around and tackle each other and rub on each other and scream and spit and bleed, but they’re not passing the coronavirus?”
WATCH: BRITISH COLONEL RICHARD KEMP REPORTING FROM GAZA
Under California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy, gatherings for live artistic performances are not authorized indoors or outdoors in counties in the purple or red tiers.
The California Department of Public Health changed its limitations on March 22 “to clarify that band, drumline, choir, and drama are low-contact activities and to announce that guidance on observers for youth and adult recreational sports is being developed.”
WATCH: NO CLUE WHY THEY ARE PROTESTING: "I WISH I WAS MORE EDUCATED"
Outdoor sports were permitted to continue in Orange County on Feb. 26. Moreta said she didn’t want to make the discussion about school sports versus making arts but rather required all activities to be observed as equal.
TIKTOK'S DOOMSDAY CLOCK IS TICKING: HOW WILL THIS AFFECT ITS 170 MILLION AMERICAN USERS?
Due to the continuing pandemic, only one or two students were permitted to sing the national anthem at a time, and before nixing performing arts, MVHS was reserving all remaining performances for the eight seniors in a choir, Moreta said.
It would have been their last opportunity before graduating.
The issue received plenty of attention when Moreta posted the problem on a Facebook page for Mission Viejo residents, where, in a single group, the post received nearly 500 likes and more than 500 comments from other parents upset about their children not being able to participate in performing arts.
CRITICS SLAM BIDEN'S ATTEMPT TO RELATE PERSONAL TRAGEDY TO POLICE OFFICER DEATHS
“She’s a senior, so as you can imagine it’s affecting her enormously,” Moreta said. “She was so looking forward to performing in front of people. … She was so excited to sing in front of somebody, and I was excited to watch her, and I don’t care if it’s her or one of her peers, I want to see these kids getting out there and doing what they love, what makes them get out of bed in the morning. It’s just so sad.”
Discover alternative ideas that will make you think
Engage in mind bending debate
Earn points, rise in rank, have fun
