of 30 locks Actor and children’s book author Maulik Pancholy was scheduled to give an anti-bullying speech at a Pennsylvania middle school, but local school board members disinvited him, citing his “lifestyle” and activism. The resolution sparked outrage from some people. parents and former students.
At its April 15 meeting, the Cumberland Valley District School Board unanimously passed a motion to cancel Pancholy’s event at Mountain View Middle School in Mechanicsburg. Concerned parent Trisha Comstock, who has two children enrolled in the district, shared a clip on Facebook of a Zoom meeting in which members expressed concerns about Pancholy’s speaking engagements. did.
“As I researched this person, he labeled himself an activist who was proud of his lifestyle, but I don’t think that should be imposed on students,” board member Bud Schaffner said at the meeting. stated inside.
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Newly elected board member Kelly Pottiger, who is also a member of the right-wing activist group Mamas for Liberty, had expressed concern about Pancholy’s discussion of her book. the best The film, which features LGBTQ+ characters and fights against discrimination, is based on his own experiences with “anti-bullying, empathy and inclusion.”
“Again, that doesn’t discriminate against his lifestyle. It’s his choice. But he’s the one talking about it,” Pottiger said. “He said that’s not the subject, but that’s the subject of his book…and [because he is] Self-proclaimed activists, I think that’s where it becomes a problem. ”
Following the vote, former student Tony Conte published an open letter to Schaffner on Facebook, sharing his experiences as a closeted gay teenager and his struggle with suicidal thoughts. I reminisced.
Comstock started an online petition to reinstate the event, which she wrote was canceled “solely for the following reasons.” [Pancholy] He is openly gay. ” So far, the petition has gathered more than 1,700 signatures.
In a telephone interview with entertainment weekly, Schaffner denied claims that Pancholy’s sexual orientation was the reason for his vote, saying, “That’s completely unfounded,” and that “that was not part of the discussion.” .we simply voted to support [school] The policy is not to make political speeches or engage in political activities. ”
He added: “Political speech is absolutely unacceptable within schools. And he identified himself as a political activist.”
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On her website, Pancholy identifies herself as an “activist” dedicated to social justice causes, and cites herself as the co-founder of the anti-bullying campaign #ActToChange, which went on to meet the unique needs of Asians. It has become a non-profit organization dedicated to American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) youth.
Asked whether the school board would reconsider its decision to cancel Pancholy’s speech in light of the controversy, Schaffner did not say yes. “There was a lot of reaction because there was a misunderstanding of what was done, but the board didn’t have a chance to meet or discuss it internally,” he told EW. “I don’t know if it will ever be brought up again.”
Cumberland Valley School District spokesperson Tracy Panzer told EW that Pancholy’s visit was not originally on the agenda of the meeting, and one board member made a motion to rescind the invitation, so the board They explained that they unanimously voted to cancel the speech.
Representatives for Pancholy did not immediately respond to EW’s request for comment.
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