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.
Let's see; banning Shakespear, Grease, Arthur Miller. I can't figure out if it's the fault of snake handlers or simpering liberals.
When I was in high school back in the late 60s and early 70s, we put on all sorts of interesting plays and musicals, some of which may even have involved the portrayal of smoking and drinking. We even put on Edward Albee's "The Zoo Story."
This kind of crap really ticks me off. By the time they finish high school, your typical Lithuanian kid (in Lithuania) has studied about a dozen Shakespeare plays. In English.
"I remember reading that play in 9th grade English. "
I think most of us read it then. Very appropriate, since Juliet was about that age when she and Romeo were upstairs doing the nasty.
Illicit sex! Oh, my! We must remove Romeo and Juliet from our school libraries. And violence, too. Uffda! Call Miss Grundy!
My sister-in-law performed in "The Crucible". I didn't see anything offensive.
Sounds like a witch hunt to me...
(had to be said)
"When I was in high school back in the late 60s and early 70s, we put on all sorts of interesting plays and musicals, some of which may even have involved the portrayal of smoking and drinking. "
Indeed. I played the leading male character in our High Schools senior play. It was a terrible play, but it did involve my smoking a cigarette in the second act, and kissing a girl in the third act. She and I had a wonderful time rehearsing that scene. Ah, the memories.
WOW!
Just WOW!
I expected to read this and find out she wanted to do the vagina monologues...
SHEESHK!
My son was in the production of Midsummer Night's Dream at his high school..
he wore a blond wig.. LOL! it was GREAT! I LOVED IT!
The Cruciable is FANTASTIC TOO!
GREASE? TREMENDOUS!
this is just ridiculous.. maybe the kids are supposed to do Goldilocks and the 3 bears.. or would that be discriminatory against the wrong tempetured porridge...?
Little Red Riding Hood? nah- too violent...
3 Little Pigs? nah.. makes wolves look mean....
"My sister-in-law performed in "The Crucible". I didn't see anything offensive."
Ah, but don't you see...it was about over-zealous religious folk persecuting someone they thought was a witch. We can't have that sort of thing in our schools. In fact, we should probably revive the ducking stool for drama teachers who even contemplate putting on that play.
"The Zoo Story" is a wonderful play! I love Jerry's speech at the end.
"By the time they finish high school, your typical Lithuanian kid (in Lithuania) has studied about a dozen Shakespeare plays. In English."
Maybe so, but at least our kids are pure and protected from seeing people who smoke, kiss and hurt each other... sar
Goldilocks is found sleeping in a someone else's bed! Too racy for small town Missouri!!!
Goldilocks is found sleeping in a someone else's bed! Too racy for small town Missouri!!!
The little tramp was bed hopping!
I think there was more freedom of thought and a freer exchange of ideas 30 years ago than today. Once, around 1977, as a substitute teacher, I filled in for a week in an advanced elective English class where the assignment was to watch "A Clockwork Orange." There wasn't a peep of complaint from anyone.
The creepiest thing about Zoo Story is the description of the killing of the dog. It's been ages since I read it, so I hope I'm not mixing this up with another one of his plays.
LOL. Good thinking, Demetrius. Tell some girl that's throwing herself at you that you'll...give her what she wants if she doesn't stop.
I feel sorry for the teacher. What a bunch of loons these parents must be to be raising the roof over Shakespeare and Arthur Miller. Even Grease is rather inoffensive crap. No wonder I homeschool. My kids have been exposed to subject matter as ugly as wife murder via Othello.
ROFLLLLLL!!
woooooooooooooops!
How could I have MISSED THAT!
( I am soooo ashamed....)
"I think there was more freedom of thought and a freer exchange of ideas 30 years ago than today."
Well, it was more like 45 years ago for me. Actually, we had Miss Grundy back then, too, along with Deacon Pincenez.
Sometimes, just sometimes, these folks go too far in trying to keep their precious little teenagers from finding anything out. Grease? That is a G-rated play. So is the Shakespeard and "The Crucible." There's not a thing in any of them that should give offense to any civilized human being.
It's just stupid.
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