Shame on Burbank school district
As a retired teacher, I was shocked to see that the school district that gave me a well-rounded education could be so closed-minded about homosexuality and “The Laramie Project” production put on by Burroughs High School students (“Play brings protests,” May 31).
Principal Emilio Urioste is the one who should be moved to a new position or released.
My wife cannot believe that a progressive city like Burbank could be less tolerant than the conservative enclave where we now reside.
Shame on the Burbank Unified School District if they allow this decision to stand of moving drama teacher Scott Bailey to another department.
He deserves support from the school district, not condemnation.
RON SANDERS
San Diego
Appalled by ‘Romeo and Juliet’ reaction
I graduated from John Burroughs High School this year. I was a part of the drama program for four years and played the nurse in the recent production of “Romeo and Juliet.”
I am truly appalled by Mike Delbarian’s shock regarding the subject matter of the play (“Play shouldn’t be such an issue,” June 25, Community Commentary). It can only be attributed to his lack of knowledge of Shakespeare.
He mentioned that there were sexual innuendoes, and he is correct. It is simply a part of Shakespeare and should be expected.
“Romeo and Juliet” is a part of the freshman English curriculum, so all drama students were familiar with it before participating in the play. Though no official notice regarding the subject matter of the play was sent home to parents, Scott Bailey was not at all deceptive as Delbarian accuses in his letter. Posters and photos that hung on campus made it quite clear that two females would be playing the leads.
In fact, being that “Romeo and Juliet” is one of the most famous pieces of literature, I would assume that most parents are familiar with Shakespeare’s crude style. To expect adults to be unaware of this general knowledge would be an insult to their intelligence.
In regards to the gender-blind casting, I would like to remind Delbarian that more than 400 years ago, when the play was first performed, the two lovers were played by men.
If Elizabethan society was mature and open-minded enough to handle it, I cannot see why in 2008, in a state where gay marriage has been legalized, we cannot.
