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Mo. Drama Teacher Resigns in Play Flap
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060318/D8GE1GLO8.html ^

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.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: Missouri
KEYWORDS: christiantaliban; churchbusybodies; hseducation; missouri; porkys; thearts; theocrats
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Ridiculous... I feel sorry for the kids for having to endure this silliness.
1 posted on 03/18/2006 10:46:28 AM PST by Lunatic Fringe
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To: Lunatic Fringe

Too much drama from the teacher.


2 posted on 03/18/2006 10:48:09 AM PST by Zuben Elgenubi
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To: Lunatic Fringe
"Maybe I need to find a school that's a better match," she said.

Ah libbies, bless their misguided little hearts.

3 posted on 03/18/2006 10:48:20 AM PST by softwarecreator (Facts are to liberals as holy water is to vampires.)
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To: softwarecreator

More like bless the knuckle-draggers who won't allow high school kids to do a Shakespeare play.


4 posted on 03/18/2006 10:49:48 AM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: Lunatic Fringe
Yeah, mustn't expose high schoolers to subjects like smoking, drinking and kissing.
And authors like Arthur Miller and Shakespeare are totally inappropriate for teenagers. Better that they focus on wholesome things like cable TV and slasher movies.
5 posted on 03/18/2006 10:51:31 AM PST by blowfish
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To: Lunatic Fringe
Ridiculous... I feel sorry for the kids for having to endure this silliness.

Ditto. Complain about Grease ?? C'mon...

6 posted on 03/18/2006 10:52:01 AM PST by DTogo (I haven't left the GOP, the GOP left me.)
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To: Lunatic Fringe

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!


7 posted on 03/18/2006 10:53:09 AM PST by MineralMan (godless atheist)
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To: softwarecreator

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?


8 posted on 03/18/2006 10:53:15 AM PST by Lunatic Fringe (Olfrygt: the nagging fear of being unable to find beer while out of town.)
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To: Lunatic Fringe
"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..."

I love the way liberals scream "intolerance" when things don't go their way.

This country really needs school choice...that way the libs can send their kids to schools that teach Marxism and hand out condoms and my kids can go to school to pray and actually learn math, science and geography.
9 posted on 03/18/2006 10:54:00 AM PST by socialismisinsidious ( The socialist income tax system turns US citizens into beggars or quitters!)
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To: Lunatic Fringe

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.


10 posted on 03/18/2006 10:54:37 AM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: Lunatic Fringe

Stoopid zealots give conservatives a bad name.


11 posted on 03/18/2006 10:55:56 AM PST by The Shootist
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To: Cicero

It's not a Christian schoool... it's a public school.


12 posted on 03/18/2006 10:56:33 AM PST by Lunatic Fringe (Olfrygt: the nagging fear of being unable to find beer while out of town.)
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To: Lunatic Fringe
"DeVore, 31, a six-year veteran teacher"

poor baby.....she's a "veteran" ya know....,

13 posted on 03/18/2006 10:57:28 AM PST by goodnesswins ( "the left can only take power through deception." (and it seems Hillary & Company are the masters)
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To: Lunatic Fringe
Somebody please tell me who lost their virginity, got raped, or committed suicide in A Midsummer Night' Dream.

High school was a long time ago and I can't remember.

14 posted on 03/18/2006 10:58:49 AM PST by hellinahandcart
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To: socialismisinsidious

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.


15 posted on 03/18/2006 10:59:12 AM PST by Lunatic Fringe (Olfrygt: the nagging fear of being unable to find beer while out of town.)
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To: Cicero

If they have this much of a problem with Shakespeare, I think they're about step away from busting out the burkas.


16 posted on 03/18/2006 10:59:49 AM PST by July 4th (A vacant lot cancelled out my vote for Bush.)
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To: 1rudeboy

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.


17 posted on 03/18/2006 11:01:18 AM PST by JeffersonRepublic.com (There is no truth in the news, and no news in the truth.)
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To: Lunatic Fringe

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.


18 posted on 03/18/2006 11:01:41 AM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: hellinahandcart

Demetrius tells Helena he is going to rape her if she did not stop pursuing him, but it never actually happens.


19 posted on 03/18/2006 11:01:50 AM PST by Lunatic Fringe (Olfrygt: the nagging fear of being unable to find beer while out of town.)
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To: Lunatic Fringe

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.


20 posted on 03/18/2006 11:02:18 AM PST by MichiganConservative (Government IS the problem.)
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