Surplus Robert E. Lee High School band uniforms were on sale before they were dumped

Leanna Smith | The News Leader

STAUNTON - A photo of white band uniforms strewn among piles of trash was shared hundreds of times Friday on Facebook.

The photo's source remains unclear, but commenters on many local pages suggested that the image showed former Robert E. Lee High School Band uniforms thrown away by Staunton City Schools.

We are working to confirm when and where the photo was taken to determine if the image shows what it seems to show.

Some commenters shared concerns about wasted taxpayer money and sustainability while others voiced disappointment that they could not purchase an old uniform. Regardless of the specific complaints, the discourse was sharpened by lingering tensions over the high school's recent name change.

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More: Robert E. Lee symbols updated with Staunton High name as school renovation progresses

But Staunton City Schools decided the fate of the Lee-branded band uniforms months ago at a school board meeting.

On Sept. 9, the school board approved a surplus sale and disposal of marching band uniforms and equipment deemed no longer usable.

Fifty marching band ponchos were immediately approved to be discarded due to poor condition. The rest of the items were authorized to be advertised on the school's website home page and sold through the high school from Sept. 10 to Nov. 8. After the sale period, the board decided that the operations department would make arrangements for disposal.

The Board agreed on fixed, fair value market prices for the following items:

Full uniform set — $30 (includes jacket, pants, shako hat, sequin sash, pair of gauntlets, plume and garment bag)

— $30 (includes jacket, pants, shako hat, sequin sash, pair of gauntlets, plume and garment bag) 100 marching band jackets — $10 each

— $10 each 99 shakos (marching band hats) — $10 each — includes plastic box

— $10 each — includes plastic box 88 sequin sashes — $5 each

— $5 each 98 pairs of gauntlets — $5 pair

— $5 pair 96 plumes (fit into shakos) — $3 each

— $3 each 75 garment bags — $3 each

— $3 each 2 drum major capes— $15 each

Laura Crummett, a member of the Staunton High School Band Boosters, has worked closely with the uniforms in question. Over the past six years she has mended, sized and altered the clothing pieces and accessories for students.

"I also know that the uniforms were not in good condition," Crummett said. "They were well overdue for replacement and it was held off for several seasons because the name change discussion was taking place."

The band uniforms were not the only items approved for surplus sale after the name change. In July, the school board announced a group of unusable athletic uniforms and gear to be sold from July 9 to Sept. 6.

Read more: Hundreds of Robert E. Lee High School-branded items now for sale

Like the band uniforms, the operations department was responsible for disposing any unsold items after Sept. 6.

The News Leader left a message with the Staunton High School main office late Friday afternoon and will update this story if any comment is returned.

Share any questions, comments or story ideas with Leanna Smith at lsmith@newsleader.com. Follow her on Twitter @LeannaCSmith.

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