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.
Too much drama from the teacher.
Ah libbies, bless their misguided little hearts.
More like bless the knuckle-draggers who won't allow high school kids to do a Shakespeare play.
Ditto. Complain about Grease ?? C'mon...
The Crucible?
Shakespeare?
GREASE?
Uffda! What horrible plays! High school kids should not even be allowed to be in the same room with any of those plays. Upon my word!
Miss Grundy would be shocked!
I don't think this has anything to do with "liberalism." This is Missouri, how do you know she isn't a Baptist Sunday School teacher as well?
Well, I don't know how smart she was to do "Grease" in a Christian school.
But Shakespeare at his most harmless is out, too? '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.'
Good grief. I can't think of a more innocent play. Maybe they should just drop the theater altogether, like the Puritans in Shakespeare's day.
Stoopid zealots give conservatives a bad name.
It's not a Christian schoool... it's a public school.
poor baby.....she's a "veteran" ya know....,
High school was a long time ago and I can't remember.
Ahh, gotta love the knee-jerk reaction...
"School teacher?! She must be a commie trying to pervert our children!"
It's exactly that kind of logic that made this situation ridiculous.
If they have this much of a problem with Shakespeare, I think they're about step away from busting out the burkas.
This whole flap sounds like the "parents" got worried about the play concerning the 17th Century Salem witch trials, so they held a witch trial of their own.
Forcing a teacher to resign over students pretending like they are smoking or kissing in a grease production is foolish.
Ah, sorry, I misread "after a handful of Callaway Christian Church members complained." No, in that case this is really over the top. "Grease" is not exactly great drama, but I'd say it's pretty harmless. And certainly "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is exactly the sort of play that students should be doing.
We should have more Shakespeare in our schools, not less.
Demetrius tells Helena he is going to rape her if she did not stop pursuing him, but it never actually happens.
At least it wasn't Romeo and Juliet. If it were, she should have just been shot right there.
I remember reading that play in 9th grade English. We also watched a movie adaptation with brief nudity! No wonder I like to read now.
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