Posted on 01/28/2005 3:25:38 PM PST by Cableguy
BURLINGTON, Vt. - Two Vermont same-sex couples whose families are featured in a PBS children's program are upset the network has decided not to distribute the show.
The PBS decision was announced after Margaret Spellings, the new secretary of the U.S. Department of Education (news - web sites), criticized the episode as inappropriate for children.
Vermont Public Television will air the "Sugartime" episode of the show "Postcards from Buster" that features a broad variety of American families.
"Many parents would not want their young children exposed to the lifestyles portrayed in the episode," Spellings wrote Tuesday to Pat Mitchell, the president and chief executive officer of PBS.
"I feel sick about it," Karen Pike of Hinesburg, said of the PBS decision. She and her partner, Gillian Pieper, and their three children are featured in the episode.
"I can't believe PBS would back down to this," she said. "I understand they get public funding, but they should be the one station we feel confident in, in knowing that what we see there represents our whole country."
In the series, Buster, an animated rabbit, visits children around the country with his airline-pilot father and sends video postcards back to his friends.
"We reflect the diversity and the rich culture of American kids," said Jeanne Hopkins, a spokeswoman for WGBH, which produced the show.
The Vermont episode shows maple sugaring and the Shelburne Museum, and features the children of the two same-sex-parent families.
Hopkins said WGBH will distribute the episode to any PBS station that asks for it.
PBS spokeswoman Lea Sloan said PBS reached its decision independent of Spellings' letter after concluding on its own that the episode was "sensitive in today's political climate.
"I feel betrayed as a parent," said Tracy Harris of Charlotte. She and Gina D'Ambrosio and their three children, ages 7 to 13, are the other family on the program.
"I thought long and hard whether to do this program, because it involved my kids, not just me," she said. "And, you know, when it comes to my kids, I usually err on the side of caution. In this case, I decided to take a calculated risk, because it was PBS."
Vermont Public Television decided Wednesday morning that it will show the episode March 23, VPT spokeswoman Ann Curran said Wednesday.
"This is something we think is an important Vermont story," she said. "Civil unions are an important part of life in Vermont, part of the culture of Vermont."
ping
Tell that to the sperm donors.
For once, kudos to PBS. This is one household which would permanently forego PBS if they ever aired anything like that.
"We reflect the diversity and the rich culture of American kids????????"
BULLS**T, you reflect depravity.......
"I feel sick about it..."
Not as much as I do, Karen!
Thank you, Margaret Spellings.
But did the cancel The Lesbian Show in favor of something even worse?
I'd expect that of the Public Bull S*** network.
Gosh, I need to rethink my disappointment with the Spelling appointment. Go, Margaret!
now I don't feel as guilty not sending $ to my pbs station if they want to show stuff like that
There is no such thing as same-sex parents. It is biologically impossible.
Never feel bad about that. After all, you already give through your taxes.....whether you want to or not.
but if you click your heels together three times and repeat "same-sex parents - same-sex parents..." it will come true.
PBS is gay and has been since "Steambath" in the early 1970's with Bill Bixby in his tighty-whiteys with the two fat fags flaming.
omg I remember that show
"I feel betrayed as a parent," said Tracy Harris of Charlotte. She and Gina D'Ambrosio and their three children, ages 7 to 13, are the other family on the program."
No, you are betraying your kids, yourself, and mankind in general by your selfishness and depravity.
bump with no comment
Maybe if she would have had long and hard she wouldn't be a lezzo looking for publicity today.
Buster is a character that originated in the series of "Arthur" books by Marc Brown. My kids loved Arthur when they were little, and we had a couple of the awesome interactive "living books" for the computer. They eventually grew out of the show but we all remember it fondly.
I wonder what Mr. Brown thinks of all this?
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