Theocrats force Missouri teacher to resign over school play

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060318/ap_on_re_us/school_play_flap

I wonder what opebo thinks of this.

[afleitch]

If they complain about Shakespeare I'll scream. People like that hark back to utopian 'values' that never actually existed.

[PBrunsel]

These "theocrats" are massive freedom fighters. Obviously anyone who wants to stand up for traditional values that have made our nation the great one it is today is a "theocrat. Anyone who thinks that these people are "theocrats" is sorely mistaken.

This teacher was simply looking for trouble. She was specificaly told not to find any racey material after the unfit showing of "Greece", a very risque musical. However, she chooses not to simply chose a less sexual and innapropriate play, and picks "The Crucible", a slam on America's policy towards the handling of domestic traitors durring the Cold War. Now she has chsoen the equally horrible "Midsummer's Night Dream" which has elicit talk of sex in it NOT SUITABLE FOR A SCHOOL! It is suitable for a community theatre or for Hollywood, but not for a tax payer sanctioned school.

She got what she deserved. She could have chosen another play (such as "Inherit the Wind" or "Our Town") but she decided to tick off the moral and good people of the town. Thus be it always to rabbel rousers.

[Alcon]

These "theocrats" are massive freedom fighters. Obviously anyone who wants to stand up for traditional values that have made our nation the great one it is today is a "theocrat. Anyone who thinks that these people are "theocrats" is sorely mistaken.

This teacher was simply looking for trouble. She was specificaly told not to find any racey material after the unfit showing of "Greece", a very risque musical. However, she chooses not to simply chose a less sexual and innapropriate play, and picks "The Crucible", a slam on America's policy towards the handling of domestic traitors durring the Cold War. Now she has chsoen the equally horrible "Midsummer's Night Dream" which has elicit talk of sex in it NOT SUITABLE FOR A SCHOOL! It is suitable for a community theatre or for Hollywood, but not for a tax payer sanctioned school.

She got what she deserved. She could have chosen another play (such as "Inherit the Wind" or "Our Town") but she decided to tick off the moral and good people of the town. Thus be it always to rabbel rousers.

Have you ever seen Grease, play or movie?  How can you label it "very risque"?  It shows teen drinking, smoking, and - oh, my! - kissing.  Would you prefer that the school just pretend as if this stuff doesn't go on?

Hell, they can always perform Oklahoma.  Nothing could be more beige than Oklahoma.

[The Dowager Mod]

That had to be Hawkeye.

[Speed of Sound]

That had to be Hawkeye.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

She should come here, Because we have a strange uncaring for censorship of any kind around here.

[PBrunsel]

Have you ever seen Grease, play or movie?  How can you label it "very risque"?  It shows teen drinking, smoking, and - oh, my! - kissing.  Would you prefer that the school just pretend as if this stuff doesn't go on?

I've seen Grease, and it is not appropriate for schools. It actually gives off the message that girls should become skanks at thye end of it.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

These "theocrats" are massive freedom fighters. Obviously anyone who wants to stand up for traditional values that have made our nation the great one it is today is a "theocrat. Anyone who thinks that these people are "theocrats" is sorely mistaken.

This teacher was simply looking for trouble. She was specificaly told not to find any racey material after the unfit showing of "Greece", a very risque musical. However, she chooses not to simply chose a less sexual and innapropriate play, and picks "The Crucible", a slam on America's policy towards the handling of domestic traitors durring the Cold War. Now she has chsoen the equally horrible "Midsummer's Night Dream" which has elicit talk of sex in it NOT SUITABLE FOR A SCHOOL! It is suitable for a community theatre or for Hollywood, but not for a tax payer sanctioned school.

She got what she deserved. She could have chosen another play (such as "Inherit the Wind" or "Our Town") but she decided to tick off the moral and good people of the town. Thus be it always to rabbel rousers.

Have you ever seen Grease, play or movie?  How can you label it "very risque"?  It shows teen drinking, smoking, and - oh, my! - kissing.  Would you prefer that the school just pretend as if this stuff doesn't go on?

Hell, they can always perform Oklahoma.  Nothing could be more beige than Oklahoma.

I LOVED Oklahoma... we had a production of it at the Christian High School that I went to

[bullmoose88]

Do you guys think Jesus would have tried out for the lead role in a drama club?

[opebo]

I wonder what opebo thinks of this.

What can one say?  I have already repeatedly advocated the feeding of such people to lions.

These "theocrats" are massive freedom fighters.

No, dolt, they are fighting for control, the opposite of freedom.  Try using a dictionary.

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They can practice their horrific 'values' privately, at home.  To impose them in a public venue such as a public school is tyrrany, and definitely theocratic.

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Have you no conception, philistine, of principle or artistic value?  The woman did not want to produce the worthless pablum you and other theocrats prefer, but rather to provide a curriculum that would challenge students with real artistic merit and useful commentary on real life.

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The order was one which she should be applauded for ignoring.

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Why should your political position - that of a particular political party, the GOP - on this issue be given automatic validity within the public school?  Obviously many americans would find those you call 'traitors' to be heros.. it is incredibly arrogant of you to assume you have the right to impose your version of history upon impressionable children.

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You are an idiot.  'Elicit talk of sex'?  These youths are in their teens - what on earth do you think they talk about all day anyway?

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She didn't want to put on garbage.  She is the freedom fighter here, PrudeBrunsel.  Your characterization of the townspeople as 'moral' and 'good, and her as a 'rabbelrouser' is, surely you are aware, merely your subjective preference.  Imposing such upon others is the essense of theocracy.

[PBrunsel]

Opebo,

I actually wrote down a response you would give me, and it came true word for word. Same old platidtudes from you about how morals don't exist. I applaud you in your feeble attempt to form a coherent opinion.

[opebo]

Opebo,

I actually wrote down a response you would give me, and it came true word for word. Same old platidtudes from you about how morals don't exist. I applaud you in your feeble attempt to form a coherent opinion.

My opinions are consitent - hence their predictability.  Your posts are every bit as predictable, PrudeBrunsel.  I do not consider this to be a criticism.

The fact is of course that morals do exist, but only in your mind.  They are subjective preferences.  Otherwise how could it be that yours and mine are diametrically opposed?

[PBrunsel]

Opebo,

My post was not a criticism, it was simply me sayin that I can not change your views. You are set in them, thus I can not change them.

However, you call me a prude as an inuslt, but I do not view it as such. More prudes enter Heaven than those who were not, opebo. I wear that title as a badge of honor, and am proud that you and BRTD call me such a name.

[opebo]

Opebo,

My post was not a criticism, it was simply me sayin that I can not change your views. You are set in them, thus I can not change them.

However, you call me a prude as an inuslt, but I do not view it as such. More prudes enter Heaven than those who were not, opebo. I wear that title as a badge of honor, and am proud that you and BRTD call me such a name.

I figured you were.  I'm sure I feel the same about many insults you religious would inflict upon me.

By the way, however, 'heaven' is a figment of your imagination. 

[Alcon]

I suppose we'll just have to disagree, PBrunsel.  I don't feel as if the subject material is beyond the pale for what high schoolers normally go through.  I don't think that the play glamourises it any more than it glamourises hair gel.  It is a play.  And, even although I do agree it could be taken as glamourising the lifestyle in some ways, I do not think that this is a reasonable cause for dismissal.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Where's the surprise? Missouri Republicans think that Christianity should be the official state religion. They're ing crazy.

[A18]

Uh, no, they don't.

[Citizen James]

Interesting timing.

I can't see how anyone would object much to the crucible unless, a) they believe that the modern political climate is similar to McCarthyism and like McCarthyims or b) they actually believe in witchcraft and evil spells, and wish to murder infidels just like their fringe fanatical Islamic cousins.

Grease I can see having some borderline objections to.  It is quite a racy play, even more so than the movie - which in itself was filled with double innuendos. 

A midsummers night dream is a step down scatalogically, and a step up culturally.  It does have it's inuendo (as did much of Shakespeare), but is a bit more subtly implied.  It is also less risque than Romeo and Juliet, which is considered manditory reading in many districts.

Of course, the most published book in the English language has plenty of innuendo, sex, violence, genocide, incest, slaughter of children (by both good and evil parties) and so on.   And I'm betting that a lot of those complaining would encourage their kids to read that one.

[Akno21]

I've never seen Grease, but I've acted in, read, and been part of another production of, A Midsummer's Night's Dream. My school actually did MND when I was in 5th grade, and everybody loved it. It was reading the play, however, that proves it to be one of our great works of literature. It is proposterous to try to prevent any school, let alone a high school, from performing it due to a bit of innuendo. It is one of the greatest plays we have, and when we have a chance to introduce teens about Shakespeare, we shouldn't pass it up because someone thinks it is inappropriate.

PBrunsel, A) just let it be, if you don't like the play, don't see it, it's that simple. Kids have gotten all this stuff well before they see a play, so judge the play solely on its merits B) I highly doubt the town would have been happy with Inherit the Wind, considering its portrayl of fundamentalists and the town's conservative principles.

[Cubby]

PBrunsel I know you like Hoover but you sound like you're 87 years old when you talk sometimes. Its 2006, we aren't going to go back in time to an earlier era, so stop acting as if thats whats normal. Missouri used to be the bellwhether of the nation, now its like going backwards. These Christians are forcing their agenda on the public school system, the same way as the "activist" judges your side complains about.

Oklahoma is possibly the worst musical ever, along with Rent. And its not b/c of its rural nature, my avatar for 2 months shows I love rural stories, provided they share some of my values.

And Akno is right that the town would hate "Inherit the Wind" even more, thats a real liberal play.