I only feel a little sad for the drama teacher, Scott Bailey. At least he is still working at Burroughs, he is an adult, and he will be able to handle the repercussions from the parents about the play’s content.
I have a feeling that he knew he would be up against biased opinions.
He is probably used to the torture from those few irate parents. But I really feel sad for Delbarian and his son.
Delbarian, as the father, broke down the invisible line of trust between him and his son.
By writing a commentary and telling us that he complained to the school about the play and the drama teacher tells me that he is controlling.
Instead of communicating in a respectful, private conversation between just him and his son about the issue, he made public the grievance and intolerance to the whole world.
From what I have gathered from my memory from reading the news every morning, the play was apparently controversial.
And from what I remember, the students really wanted to do this play even though they were up with the school principal.
The students exercised their freedom of speech and, in spite of all the criticisms, the students bravely and ultimately performed the play. Bravo.
I don’t know Delbarian’s son and how he feels about all this.
But it seems, by Delbarian’s obvious intolerance about the issue, that his son may have deliberately miscommunicated to him about the play’s content.
If I were Delbarian, I would be proud of my son’s brave accomplishments that he received from this play. I hope that your son continues to be in drama with your support.
Give him a chance to be a person, not who you want him to be, but who he will ultimately become.
Unfortunately, I didn’t see the play. I was too busy with my own children’s activities to see plays.
Too bad.
SUZANNE FITZPATRICK is a Burbank resident.
