Following good news of Steve Martin’s bailout, there’s more bad news on the high school drama front. USA Today reports on the firing of a teacher who led a class project on The Laramie Project – a play and film based on responses from Laramie residents after the murder of Matthew Shepherd. The teacher – Debra Taylor – led a project to recreate scenes from the film in her class. Superintendent Ed Turlington opposed the project and cancelled the class. After a “mock funeral” protest, the teacher was suspended, and after she complained to a board member, according to Taylor, she was fired.
Students involved with the project are concerned that the cancellation of the class had more to do with discomfort with gay material. One student is quoted saying: “They don’t want something like this addressed in our community.” Another is quoted saying, “They were trying to turn it into that we were promoting gay rights’ or something.”
This seems to fit into a larger tendency to restrict high school performances of content with gays (see RENT!).
Take action! Call the Grandfield School District district: (580) 479-3140 or email Superintendent Turlington at [email protected].
from slog.thestranger.com