Symphony mask and vaccine policies

How disheartening to read the Spokane Symphony is selling indoor concert tickets with full auditorium seating and nothing but a mask honor system. The stated reason is that season ticket holders were unhappy about not being guaranteed their usual seats for this one season.

The Spokane Indians managed to make it work for this pandemic season. Too bad symphony leadership so easily caved to the dollars represented by certain season ticket holders who appear to be more worried about their personal seats than the good of the whole.

At the very time many public and private schools, healthcare facilities, sports organizations, entertainment venues, and eating establishments – worldwide, no less – are making participation contingent on vaccination status, the Symphony is moving in the opposite direction.

The Symphony’s decision to backtrack on its earlier plan to consider vaccination status in its seating and ticketing system is particularly egregious in light of Spokane’s embarrassing and lagging vaccination rate and the again increasing covid infection rate due to the Delta variant. The honor system is foolish; it depends on the unvaccinated voluntarily wearing a mask – the very same people who most likely refused to wear a mask pre-vaccine.

The Symphony has missed an opportunity to be a responsible community leader and citizen, move forward with concern for all of its stakeholders, and exemplify running their business with integrity. This long awaited season could have started on a high note and instead it has already fallen flat.

Jody M. Cramsie

Spokane