Las Vegas Newspapers in Education

Students Speak Out

The Las Vegas-Review Journal Editorial Essay Program for High School Students

November Topic:
"Should school productions include those with controversial topics?"

FIRST PLACE WINNER
Jimmy Yuen, Grade 11
Southwest Career and Technical Academy

Whitewashing Reality

When Green Valley High School announced the production of controversial plays, a number of parents instantly swarmed with decisions. The Laramie Project and the musical Rent are centered on the issues of HIV, violence, drug abuse, and homosexuality. Declaring these topics were far too mature for high school, the protesters sent the case to court. However, these accusations of radical contents appear to be little more than knee jerk reactions from overbearing parents. These issues are not based on horror or pornographic movies; these issues are based in real life. By attempting to shield their children from these subjects, they threaten to delude the next generation with a perfect idealistic world unfound in reality.

These lays have been historically controversial with mixed receptions across America. This last spring in Oklahoma, Grandfield High School teacher, Debra Taylor, was confronted with a number of students with the wish to act our parts from The Laramie Project themselves as an in class project. Securing the principal's permission, she would see production stopped only a coupled of weeks later by worried parents. When the students protested at a nearby park, the superintendent canceled her class and recommended to dismiss Taylor. By Friday, the school board had approved her resignation. Albany High School has experienced a more positive response tot he same play: when the Westboro Baptist Church, an anti gay hate group featured in the play, protested in New York, hundreds of students and adults staged counter protests.

Now, to begin with Green Valley High School's defense, one should argue for the lawfulness of these school productions. some critics pointed out that the movie Rent was rated PG-13; Clark County School District's Regulations 6150 decrees that "Any portion of electronic media in any format that is rated 'R" or 'PG-13' shall not be shown to students at any grade level within the school district under any circumstances. "What these critics do not mention was the fact that plays are, in fact, not electronic movies or that the school edition of the musical itself is unrated. Furthermore, participation in these plays are strictly voluntary and the school. Principal Jeff Horn has reassured parents that no one would be forced to watch for academic credit. Clark County district Court Judge, David Wall, had ruled on similar grounds on November 10th, clearing any legal obstacles for the theatre department.

Nevertheless, the larger problem here remains that these parents will impose a mindset of unseasonable naïveté on their teenagers. Unreasonable naïveté will not only put these teenagers at higher risk for deception, but it jeopardizes to disconnect them from reality. HIV and drug abuse are not negligible problems. Around the world, over 30 million people are infected with HIV and over 25 million have died since 1981. At least half of all the HIV infections in 2007 were found in those under 25 years old. Drug abuse is considered to be the root cause of a quarter of the deaths in the U.S. Regular illicit drug use ( monthly) in the US averaged 22% of all high school seniors without considering alcohol. Another prominent issue raised by the parents, homosexuality, is one of civil rights and equality. Studies show homosexuals to number about 10% of the population - a whole tenth of the population that is legally viable for discrimination and hate crimes across 29 states.

Students have the right to be aware of these issues, if only to better protect themselves and others around them. Furiously sheltered, they would be left unprepared to face the real world. These parents may not realize that their teenagers in high school have less than a decade before they declare their independence and leave their radar: by age 18, they are already legal adults. When they are undoubtedly confronted with drugs or sex, it is in their best interest to be aware of the dangers. Questions of morality when they encounter homosexuality might turn violent out of fear and lack of knowledge. When it is their turn to vote, they will be in the clutches of ignorance, incapable of realizing the suffering that exists outside their walls.

Controversy should not be feared when introduced in public plays. They should be embraced. School plays like The Laramie Project and Rent raise awareness about critical problems in society. Ignored, these issues do not magically disappear. They fester and worsen. These parents did not just challenge the legality of these theatre productions when they brought it into court. These parents had challenged the rights of an entire generation to witness and educate themselves on the ills that plague the nation. Fortunately, the judge ruled against their claims. Hopefully, the next case will be dismissed out of court for gross stupidity.