Kirkland parents object to Robert Frost Elementary adaptation of ‘Snow White’
A controversial move by Robert Frost Elementary School has left some asking if the school is engaging in censorship or just following prescribed human-dignity and anti-bullying policies.
Is it censorship or sensitivity? That’s the question surrounding an adaptation of “Snow White in the Black Forest,”which debuts Friday at Kirkland’s Robert Frost Elementary School.
The fourth- through sixth-grade play has been staged twice before at the school without complaint, but this year objections from the principal and teachers sparked weeks of controversy about how far schools should go to shield children from certain words and ideas.
Some parents are upset that Principal Sue Anne Sullivan asked the play’s directors to remove parts of the script that violate the schools’ human-dignity and anti-bullying policies. Cuts included the name of the character “DimWitty,” making the “crazy gesture” — rotating the index finger near the ear, and lines of a song about being proud of being curvy.
According to The Times, several passages were removed from the ‘Snow White’ script to conform with the Lake Washington School District’s human-dignity and anti-bullying policies. The following were removed from the script:
The character’s name “DimWitty.” There is, however, a character named “Dopey.”
Lines in which characters call each other “stupid”
Joking references about the King being “senile”
The action of characters making the “crazy gesture” — rotating the pointer finger next to the ear
A joke about being glad if there is one less orphan in the world
A few lines in which a female character was to sing about being proud that she is curvy
A song about people who are short
To read the full article, please visit The Seattle Times.
Posted by Rob Butcher on Friday, February 5, 2010 at 12:03 pm
Filed under Education, Headlines · Tagged with Arts, Education, Seattle Times
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