Valley High School in West Des Moines is in the middle of a controversy.

Meagen Grundberg, an All-State flautist with the school orchestra, is being prevented from playing because of a little-known rule of the Iowa High School Music Association.

The state rule requires those who play non-string instruments in orchestra to play also in band. The purpose of that rule is to make sure students receive adequate musical instruction.

But Meagen has exertional asthma and cannot play in the marching band. Valley High School, like many other schools in Iowa with marching bands, requires its musicians to march if they want to be in concert band.

Since Grundberg cannot be in the band, she is not being allowed to play in the orchestra.

And neither the music association nor the high school seem willing to budge in their rules.

Grundberg clearly has the talent to perform at the highest level. It doesn’t seem likely that the rules of the association would be so corrupted by one single person receiving an exception.

However, it’s the right of the Iowa High School Music Association to make that decision, as foolish as it might seem.

The association should ensure that music students receive the best instruction possible, and to make rules that promote that principle.

However, Valley can, and should, make exceptions to its marching band rule so students like Meagen are still able to play.

If they chose to, Valley could easily allow students with physical limitations to sit out the first quarter of fall semester, taking extra lessons to make up for class time, and then join again in the middle of November when concert band begins.

This system works fine at other schools with students who can’t physically march in band.

And at Valley, it is even less of a problem than at smaller Iowa schools, where forced participation is sometimes necessary to get anyone to join marching band. A program as large and prestigious as Valley doesn’t have to punish students who can’t march.

Band programs are for teaching students to play to the best of their abilities. When students want to learn to play, they should not be hindered at all.

Let Meagen play.