• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox
  • Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer
  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!
  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

School Chaperones ‘Humiliate’ Students by Marching Them Out of Gay ‘Nutcracker’ Performance on Chicago Field Trip: WATCH

Andy Towle November 27, 2019 Leave a Comment

A group of eighth grade students from Ohio's Notre Dame Academy on a field trip to Chicago were “humiliated” after being marched out of a Chicago performance of The Nutcracker when their chaperones discovered the lead parents were depicted as a gay couple.

video
play-rounded-fill
Link
The House Theatre of Chicago's production of The Nutcracker.

The school came under fire after a parent who identifies as bisexual, Carly McGoldrick, tweeted about the incident: “The 8th graders at my catholic grade school take an annual trip to chicago around thanksgiving and usually get to see a musical or whatever… this year they went to see the nutcracker but clara's parents were played by two men so chaperones made them all get up and LEAVE.”

“I've been in contact with an audience member (not from NDA) who said the walk-out was disruptive and confusing,” McGoldrick added in a later tweet. “It happened about 5 minutes before the performance actually began, and i can only imagine how humiliated the students were. Waiting for NDA to refund the parents of their students for the cost of the tickets and to issue an apology for embarrassing them in front of an entire auditorium of people.”

the 8th graders at my catholic grade school take an annual trip to chicago around thanksgiving and usually get to see a musical or whatever… this year they went to see the nutcracker but clara's parents were played by two men so chaperones made them all get up and LEAVE

— Carly (@bakedzucchini) November 25, 2019

waiting for NDA to refund the parents of their students for the cost of the tickets and to issue an apology for embarrassing them in front of an entire auditorium of people

— Carly (@bakedzucchini) November 25, 2019

The president of Notre Dame Academy, issued an apology, after McGoldrick's tweet prompted a firestorm of anger: “From NDA President Kim Grilliot: We apologize for our decision for 8th graders leave to a performance of The Nutcracker before it began due to casting choices. The mistake is contrary to our inclusive spirit and reminds us our actions should affirm that we are all God's children.”

From NDA President Kim Grilliot: We apologize for our decision for 8th graders leave to a performance of The Nutcracker before it began due to casting choices. The mistake is contrary to our inclusive spirit and reminds us our actions should affirm that we are all God's children.

— Notre Dame Academy (@NDA_eagles) November 26, 2019

McGoldrick, an alumnus of the school, told the Toledo Blade the school needed to do more, based partly on her own experience there: “There simply just isn't an adequate conversation at Notre Dame Academy about gender and sexuality issues. It simply just doesn't exist outside of theology classes and that simply is not enough. As someone heavily involved in student council — president of the executive student council her senior year — I felt like, ‘Oh God, I can't share this. I don't want the school to out me to my parents,' which they've been known to do in the past, or, ‘I don't want them to find out and make it awkward around my other friends or teachers. I spent so many of my formative years shaping and hiding my identity so as to not feel outcast by the school.”

The school left another statement on Facebook: “We apologize for our decision for 8th graders leave to a performance of The Nutcracker before it began due to casting choices. The mistake is contrary to our inclusive spirit and reminds us our actions should affirm that we are all God's children. To clarify what happened, the decision was made for the NDA eighth graders to leave a performance of The Nutcracker before it began because upon arrival they discovered that the producer had chosen to cast two men as the main character's parents. However, the Spirit of Inclusion statement adopted by the NDA Board of Trustees in 2014 affirms that we in the Notre Dame Academy community welcome all into our Gospel community including but not limited to people of all colors, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender expression, abilities, economic classes and nationalities. We consider the decision to not attend the performance a mistake and sincerely apologize to anyone we offended. The action does does not reflect NDA's true values. Rest assured we will redouble our efforts to live up to our inclusion statement. Sometimes we teach our children as much from our mistakes as from our successes. We view this as a chance to teach our students the value of taking ownership of one's mistakes and to reaffirm that our community is committed to inclusion.”

Notre Dame Academy students have painted a rock on the school's campus in rainbow colors with the words “God Loves U” in response to the incident.

video
play-rounded-fill
Link

Topics: Religion, Theater, towleroad More Posts About: Chicago, education, Notre Dame Academy, Ohio, The Nutcracker

Related Posts
  • Jussie Smollett Song Drops; Produced Since Prison Release Pending Appeal, ‘Thank You God’: LISTEN
  • Chicago business relocation pitch targets ‘Don’t Say Gay’ legislation with full-page ads in Florida, Texas and Arizona
  • Jim Obergefell, Plaintiff In The Supreme Court Case That Won National Marriage Equality, is Running For Ohio State House
  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Mel B will “always be open” when it comes to her sexuality. The Spice Girls singer, 48, who reunited with her bandmates including the group's ex-singer Victoria Beckham for the fashion …Read More »
  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Megan Thee Stallion is being sued for allegedly creating a hostile work environment and forcing her cameraman to watch her having lesbian sex. The 29-year-old ‘Savage' rapper faces the salacious claims …Read More »
  • Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Jonathan Bennett's life was “changed forever” by his role in ‘Mean Girls'. The 42-year-old actor starred as heartthrob Aaron Samuels in the 2004 cult classic – which followed Lindsay Lohan, Rachel …Read More »
  • Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass a gift basket after he came out as gay. The 44-year-old NSYNC star revealed the legendary singer showed his support when Lance decided to reveal …Read More »
Previous Post: « Star Wars, Róisín Murphy, Bill Barr, Michael Bloomberg, Pete Buttigieg, Papa John’s, Mark McGrath, Lucille Ball: HOT LINKS
Next Post: Mormons and LGBTQ Advocates Reach Deal to Ban Gay ‘Conversion Therapy’ in Utah »

Primary Sidebar

Most Recent

  • Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer

    Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer

  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

  • Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

  • Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

  • Relationship status influences heterosexual women’s sexual prejudice towards lesbians

    Relationship status influences heterosexual women’s sexual prejudice towards lesbians

  • JoJo Siwa had a challenge transitioning to new grown-up image

    JoJo Siwa had a challenge transitioning to new grown-up image

  • Liz Hurley defends lesbian sex scene in new movie that was directed by her son

    Liz Hurley defends lesbian sex scene in new movie that was directed by her son

Partner Links

  • OMG, WATCH: Google’s Veo 3 turns the “Distracted Boyfriend” meme to life in new AI video
    Google‘s Veo 3 has summoned the fires of Hell, wasted oceans-full […]
  • Two-time Tony winner Donna Murphy publicly support LuPone-bashed Audra McDonald and Kecia Lewis
    I’m a tremendous Patti LuPone fan as readers of this blog […]
  • On the Rag, Vol. 859
     This week's rag 'n' mag roundup features Vlad Parker, Ashley Parker, David […]
  • OMG, WATCH: Charli xcx wants a Final Destination series with ‘It Girls’
    @charlixcx just a thought.. ♬ original sound – Charli XCX Charli […]
  • OMG, new music: Lorde releases video for ‘Man Of The Year’
    The second single from the forthcoming album is “an offering from […]

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd

About

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy
[towleroadmr] [towleroadtn]

Footer

Ptown Hacks 2018

Read

  • Travel
  • Film
  • Law – LGBT Rights
  • Columns
  • Specials

About

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 · Log in

×
×