CNN
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Parents in a Pennsylvania school district petition to overturn the school board’s unanimous vote to cancel “30 Rock” actor Maulik Pancholy’s presentation, citing concerns about “activism” and “lifestyle.” are doing.
Pancholy, a gay children’s book author, was scheduled to speak at Mountain View Middle School in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, on May 22, but the Cumberland Valley School District (CVSD) unanimously voted Monday to cancel his presentation. It was decided to cancel the visit.
More than 6,000 people have signed a petition started by district parent Trisha Comstock, calling for the school board’s decision to be reversed.
Pancholy, known for being the voice of Baljeet in the Phineas and Ferb cartoons and his assistant on the TV show 30 Rock, is the author of two award-winning children’s books on empathy and bullying prevention. . .
“Nikhil Out Loud” tells the story of a gay Indian-American boy at a school whose parents protest against giving the lead role to a gay student in the school musical. Another of Pancholy’s award-winning titles, “The Best at It,” is a story about her seventh-grade Indian-American student who experiences bullying in a small Midwestern town.
The district livestreamed Monday’s board meeting but does not archive the video.
Pancholy’s event wasn’t on the meeting’s agenda, but when board members began debating whether to cancel it, Comstock told CNN he started screen recording. She later posted the video on social media and shared a copy with CNN.
Trustees who spoke during the meeting said they were concerned about the topics Pancholy would discuss while speaking about his book.
“He calls himself an activist and is proud of his lifestyle, but I don’t think it should be forced on him.” It’s open to students of all ages,” CVSD Board Member Bud Schaffner said during the meeting.
Board member Kelly Pottiger echoed Schaffner’s concerns about Pancholy discussing his “lifestyle.”
“He said it wasn’t the subject, but that’s the subject of his book and he’ll probably talk about his path because he talks about anti-bullying, empathy, inclusion. It’s part of his journey,” Pottiger said. “As a self-proclaimed activist, I think that’s something to be concerned about.”
Ultimately, the board of directors unanimously decided to cancel the event.
Pancholy responded to the district’s decision in a statement posted to Instagram on Thursday, thanking area residents for their “outpouring of solidarity, love and support.”
“My ‘activism’ when visiting schools is to let all young people know that they are seen. To let them know they matter. When I talk about how the characters in my books feel different, I can’t help but notice how many young people, regardless of their identity or background, reach out to share how they feel different. I’m always surprised by what you say. ” Pancholy said in a statement.
“That’s the power of books. They build empathy. Why are school boards so afraid of it?”
Comstock, whose two sons attended Mountain View Middle School and are now attending the district’s high school, said she was watching a live stream of the board meeting on her cell phone Monday night in bed when she heard members say, “Bigots.” He said he started saying things that he felt were “homophobic.” ”
“I remember my mouth hanging open,” Comstock told CNN. “I couldn’t believe what was being said, and no one even mentioned or corrected it. And when the vote was unanimous, my heart sank.”
Later that night, as she was about to fall asleep, Comstock said she was haunted by the words she heard during that meeting. Instead of going to bed, she got up and started her petition.
Since then, thousands of signatures have been collected, many accompanied by comments of frustration from local students, staff and families.
“I personally hear from not only parents in the district and students who feel silenced and unheard, but also teachers, openly gay teachers. They looked at the rally and cried and said, “Do I belong here?” Comstock said.
Cumberland Valley School District, CVSD board members, and Mountain View Middle School have not responded to CNN’s requests for comment.
Despite the district’s decision, Comstock said she has found reason to feel hopeful.
“The really great thing about this, the silver lining, is that our community has stood up and said this is not right,” Comstock said. “We need to address this because this is not who we are.”
Brooke Ryerson, a gay student who once attended Mountain View Middle School and now attends the district’s high school, said she “couldn’t believe” what she was hearing when she watched the livestream of the board meeting.
“They blatantly send a message that they don’t think LGBTQ+ stories and lives belong in our school. Countless students and staff members at CV who are part of the LGBTQ+ community, especially Mountain View Middle School For all of us, this only strengthens our deep-seated doubts about whether we really belong,” Brooke, 16, told CNN.
“We want to take politics out of schools,” said Matthew Barrick, another member, during the board meeting.
Parents have criticized the school board’s disapproval of so-called activists, and Moms for Liberty, a right-wing group focused on various school-related initiatives, has criticized Pottiger’s appointment to the district board. He pointed out that he had claimed that
Founded in 2021, Mamas for Liberty bans certain books from schools, especially those related to LGBTQ+, bans classroom discussions about gender and sexuality, and advocates for so-called “critical race theory.” He defends canceling classes.
Colby Zabel, whose daughter Willow is a seventh-grader at the middle school where the event was scheduled to be held, told CNN that the board’s decision meant that students “are not worried about bullying, especially if they are gay.” He said the message would be:
“My daughter is furious. She is upset that she missed the lecture, but more importantly, how this decision was made and the obvious reasons for it. It is also clear to her that the reason is the fact that the presenter is gay,” Zabel told CNN.
“Attempts to retract this story and claim he is a political activist will not hold up. I checked his website and found that while the term ‘activist’ is prominent, the only focus is on anti-bullying. , there is no mention of politics at all.”
Mr. Comstock also objected to the board’s identification of Mr. Pancholy as an activist.
“Anyone can go to his site and see that his work is about bullying,” Comstock said. “If you treat class activists as a threat to students, you can never host a Mothers Against Drunk Driving event or a Drunk Driving event, because they are activists.”
Pancholy wrote children’s stories because he never saw himself in books, and South Asian American and LGBTQ+ characters “didn’t exist” for him, he says.
“And years later, when I wanted to write my own novel, I still had trouble finding one. That’s why I wrote the book in the first place. Because expression Because it matters,” he wrote in a statement.
“I hope all of our MVMS students are receiving messages of support and love. That no matter who you are, you know that you belong. To everyone: I get it. Thank you. You are important. No one can take that away from you.”
Valarie Ryerson, Brooke’s mother, told CNN that the district is known for “the best administrators, teachers, guidance counselors and staff,” many of whom are gay. she said.
“Mr. Schaffner’s comments that children shouldn’t be “exposed” to gay speakers are a sign that we have so many members of the LGBQT+ community in our schools, teachers, and students, including my daughter. It pissed me off because I knew that. It’s dangerous,” Ryerson said.
“I was very lucky to have so much support from my family and school,” Brooke said.
“But for kids who aren’t open about their identities, it can be frightening to hear people with so much control and power say things like this.”
