08/03/2007

NJ Principal Deems Laramie Project Too Provocative

Even though it has been produced over 5,000 times in high schools across the nation, in areas far more conservative than New Jersey, a high school principal in Ocean Township has shut down the district's planned staging of The Laramie Project, which deals with events surrounding the homophobic murder of Matthew Shepard in Wyoming in 1998, on grounds that it is too provocative.

In a letter to responding to drama coach Bob Angelini's plans to do Laramie, principal Julia Davidow wrote: "Wow! I believe everyone involved understands the highly provocative nature of this play. I do not recall discussing it with anyone or approving it, yet I have been requested to sign the a (sic) copyright cost. Let's talk."

The Asbury Park Press reports: "In addition to Garden State Equality, both playwright Moises Kaufman and Shepard's mother, Judy Shepard, have now gotten personally involved in the debate. Judy Shepard has written to the Ocean Township Board of Education in support of the play, and Kaufman has given Angelini permission to remove the profanities from his work, which Angelini said was one of Davidow's original objections to the play."

Superintendent Thomas M. Pagano is standing by his principal's decision: "If I err, I err on the side of caution. The first rule of education is, do no harm. I have to respect the decision made by our high school principal; it's not an easy job to be a high school principal. I regret that this is going to be a distraction to the community. In my 36 years here, it has been a wonderful community."

UPDATE: School superintendent reverses decision, reinstates play.

Posted 3:55 PM EST by Andy in Education, Judy Shepard, Matthew Shepard, New Jersey, News, Theatre | Permalink

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Comments

1. since when does "do no harm" = keep quiet and bury your head?

   Posted by: rich | Aug 3, 2007 4:12:45 PM

   
   

2. Hear, Hear, Rich!

   Posted by: Michael W. | Aug 3, 2007 4:26:46 PM

   
   

3. might i suggest a play by joe orton or oscar wilde instead?

   Posted by: sean | Aug 3, 2007 4:33:38 PM

   
   

4. I grew up near Ocean Township, and trust me they are super conservative, the entire county is run by a group of old white men, very scary and sadly I was not surprised.

   Posted by: sftom | Aug 3, 2007 4:40:21 PM

   
   

5. I thought the first rule of MEDICINE was "do no harm".

   Posted by: peterparker | Aug 3, 2007 4:52:34 PM

   
   

6. The first rule of education is, "do no harm"? What an idiot. That's the first rule of....oh, SFTom already said this....

   Posted by: kile ozier | Aug 3, 2007 4:57:13 PM

   
   

7. Yeah, I've never heard that the first rule of education is "do no harm," especially as applicable to this cowardly avoidance of what isn't even that controversial. And if it's become newsworthy, some harm has been done to the students there for completely the wrong reason.

   Posted by: Chris | Aug 3, 2007 4:58:39 PM

   
   

8. The high school's office, where the homophobic principal could be reminded of her statement, "We look forward to continuing to grow and improve our ability to serve ALL students," is 732-531-5650, Ext. 1000.

   The homophobic superintendent, so afraid of harming his chillun with the idea that bludgeoning gays to death might be wrong, can be reached at: 732-531-5600; fax number 732-531-3875.

   And here's a link to their "suggestion box":

   http://www.ocean.k12.nj.us/ocean/Suggestion%20Box/_top

   Posted by: Leland | Aug 3, 2007 4:59:19 PM

   
   

9. Well, y'all know that the notion that bigotry can result in violence and death is HIGHLY provocative. Hell, if we started saying that homophobia is not admirable then the next thing ya know we'd be shutting down the churches and locking up preachers. It's a slippery slope and someone's gotta stand up for normal people's right to be hateful, bigoted, and murderous.

   Posted by: Timothy | Aug 3, 2007 5:11:19 PM

   
   

10. A play like Romeo and Juliet - about forbidden love, murder, suicide, violence, the individual vs. society, etc., which is just as 'provocative' as Laramie, is often staged by middle schoolers.

    Hey, maybe in 400 years the Laramie Project won't seem so harmful. But who has that kind of time.

    Posted by: Will | Aug 3, 2007 5:35:22 PM

    
    

11. "The first rule of education is, do no harm"

    Ah, yes, the little-known, but widely-practiced Hypocritic Oath.

    Posted by: A.G. | Aug 3, 2007 5:45:28 PM

    
    

12. I went to high school in NJ (way back in 1987, and not in Ocean county) and the principal thought The Diary of Anne Frank was too much for students to do!! I can't imagine what he would have done if The Laramie Project was pitched back then...

    Foolish idiots think that 'theater' means fluffy pink dancing and nothing more.

    Posted by: Gregg | Aug 3, 2007 7:22:07 PM

    
    

13. Ocean Twp?

    Toms River...

    every Jersey queer (who's been around) knows all the boys in TR are gay anyways. Cancer apparently ain't the only thing running rampant in TR, after all.

    The super/princy need to get a clue (and open their eyes).

    Posted by: Derrick | Aug 3, 2007 8:59:43 PM

    
    

14. "First, do no harm" is not part of the Hippocratic Oath. Lots of good stuff in the oath, just not that.

    Believed to be attributed to Hippocrates or Galen, though, in other literature.

    Posted by: bscout | Aug 3, 2007 9:53:25 PM

    
    

15. Principal's Email: jdavidow@ocean.k12.nj.us

    Posted by: jeffrey | Aug 3, 2007 11:21:08 PM

    
    

16. Time to sign that email address up for lots of gay spam porn

    Posted by: Perceive | Aug 3, 2007 11:43:19 PM

    
    

17. So they got permission to delete some swearing- the kids can leave the show untainted, back to their rap, death-metal,satellite radio, YouTube and the rest of the net.

    Posted by: kai | Aug 4, 2007 1:18:49 AM

    
    

18. WOW ANOTHER 'GAY HATING" WOMEN IN POWER GEE EQUALITY IS WONDERFUL!!!

    Posted by: alan brickman | Aug 4, 2007 2:56:54 AM

    
    

19. Hate is something that is taught and learned and these two are either teaching it and/or they are in fierce competition for the rubber backbone award. I bet the principal and superintendent wouldn't have a problem with someone like Ann Coulter addressing the students though. She's more their (principal & superintendent's) speed anyway. And as far as the cursing, give me a break. How prudish have we really become in this country?!?

    Posted by: Greydorian68 | Aug 4, 2007 9:48:25 AM

    
    

20. That's whacked. The private Catholic high school next door to me (in suburban Oregon) presented Laramie Project last spring. Get with the times, people.

    Posted by: Andy | Aug 5, 2007 11:42:34 AM

    
    

21. The first rule of medicine is "First do no harm". The credo of education is to enlighten and illuminate, not run and stick your head in the sand. Or as the superindendent and principal are doing, sticking their head in their ass. As educators they should be ashamed of themselves. And shame on the town if they let this stand.

    Posted by: David | Aug 6, 2007 1:34:12 AM

    
    

22. Sounds like the principal and superintendent will be suggesting a good ol' book burning next. I don't understand why any educator would ever want to "sheild" his or her students from such powerful works and severely limit the ability of the students to think for themselves. Is the Bible Belt increasing in width?

    Posted by: Banana | Aug 10, 2007 10:23:11 AM

    
    

23. Rest assured, the superintendant has allowed us to perform the show. Nov 1, 2 & 3rd Ocean Township High School Auditorium. Come and support.

    Posted by: lindsay | Aug 11, 2007 10:11:09 AM

    
    

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