More at: http://www.callawaychristianchurch.com/
Posted on 03/18/2006 10:46:26 AM PST by Lunatic Fringe
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - A central Missouri high school drama teacher whose spring play was canceled after complaints about tawdry content in one of her previous productions will resign rather than face a possible firing.
"It became too much to not be able to speak my mind or defend my students without fear or retribution," said Fulton High School teacher Wendy DeVore.
DeVore's students were to perform Arthur Miller's "The Crucible," a drama set during the 17th Century Salem witch trials.
But after a handful of Callaway Christian Church members complained about scenes in the fall musical "Grease" that showed teens smoking, drinking and kissing, Superintendent Mark Enderle told DeVore to find a more family-friendly substitute.
DeVore chose Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," a classic romantic comedy with its own dicey subject matter, including suicide, rape and losing one's virginity.
DeVore, 31, a six-year veteran teacher, said administrators told her that her annual contract might not be renewed.
"Maybe I need to find a school that's a better match," she said.
Both Enderle and the high school principal declined to discuss DeVore's resignation, citing privacy concerns. The resignation must still be approved by the school board.
Publicity over the drama debate, including a front-page story in The New York Times, has cast an unflattering light on Fulton as an intolerant small town, several of DeVore's colleagues said.
"We have become a laughingstock," teacher Paula Fessler told The Fulton Sun.
Actually, no.. they don't have a "right" to demand a play based on their subjective morality.
This is a public school, and for each of these bible-thumping shrills, I'm sure there were 10 residents of the community that held the opposite view.
Obviously, the administrators had no problem with the Shakespeare play, because they didn't ask her to change THAT decision. But by this time, I'm sure the members of Callaway Christian Church had bad-mouthed her all over town... I've lived in small-town Missouri before, I know what they're like.
Pfft, never mind that - the whole story is built around gambling, for cryin' out loud. Plus there's a scene in a Havana nightclub (commies!) with drinking and dancing and violence.
;)
If you ever get the chance, read or see Memory of Two Mondays. I love that play. Also, his screenplay, Focus, is out starring W.H. Macy.
You've got to be kidding me? Arthur Miller, author of: "Enemy of the People", "Death of Salesman", "The Crucible", and "Broken Glass" is a one note Johnny? You couldn't be more wrong if you wanted to be.
What color tie are you wearing?
(one of the greatest bits in guys and dolls)
That was Henry Miller.
Trouble with a capital "T" that rhymes with "G" that stands for "Grease"...
My mistake...well, I loved his 1970s cop show on TV with abe vigoda as Fish.
"No by their standards she did not..she choose another play but not one that they found to be family-friendly.
"
Here's the thing. It's another one of those cases where a small group of parents had some sort of objection. So the school administrator caved. That's just a crock.
There is nothing objectionable about any of the plays named in the story. Nothing that the average community would have a problem with.
What happened is that a couple of sanctimonious prisses objected to "Grease." The drama teacher decided to put on "The Crucible," which is a play about sanctimonious prisses. The prisses caught on, and weren't amused. So they told the administrator to see that a "family-oriented" play was put on. So, the teacher chose "Midsummer Night's Madness," a Shakekspeare play that, in its original version, is subversive as the dickens. She used a modern-language version that's nice and cutesy.
The bottom line is that a few sanctmonious prisses managed to dictate to this school. That's not how it works in this country. The few do not dictate to the many.
She has resigned. Too bad, too. The kids seem to have liked her, and did a great job with the Shakespeare play, from everything I have read. So, they lose a good drama teacher, along with gaining a recognition that not everyone likes everything, but that sanctimonious prisses can dictate that everything be lowered to their level of comfort.
Feh!
Well, we agree on something. She did the right thing by resigning and leaving the bumpkins of Fulton to their own devices. I do pity the children though. They're being stump ------ by their hillbilly parents and likely ruined for life.
Seriously --
No idea what this is. Please explain.
stump ------
More at: http://www.callawaychristianchurch.com/
No, that was Barny Miller. He went on to dinosaur fame after the cop show faded. I think he was beaten to death by preteens outside of a mall in Wisconsin while still in costume.
LOL!
"You've got to be kidding me? Arthur Miller, author of: "Enemy of the People", "Death of Salesman", "The Crucible", and "Broken Glass" is a one note Johnny? You couldn't be more wrong if you wanted to be."
I think THAT poster is just funnin', though. He knows it's Henry Miller. He was pokin' a bit of fun at the other poster, I believe.
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