Pennsylvania's school board's decision to cancel actor and children's book author Maulik Pancholy's scheduled performance was imprudent and sends a particularly harmful message to the LGBTQ+ community, education officials said. .
Members of the Cumberland Valley School District's board of directors, whom he described as an activist for Pancholy, voted unanimously Monday to cancel Pancholy's attendance at a May 22 rally at Mountain View Middle School. He expressed concerns about things and “lifestyles.” Pancholy, who is gay, was scheduled to give a speech against bullying.
In addition to their concerns about Pancholy, some board members also cited the district's policy of not hosting overtly political events, news outlets reported. The policy was enacted after the district was criticized for hosting a rally for Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign.
District Superintendent Mark Blanchard and nine other senior leaders, including assistant superintendents and district-level technology, curriculum, legal, human resources, student services, and special education directors, met Thursday with the board, faculty, and staff. , sent a letter to faculty and staff, asserting that Pancholy's claims: He should have been allowed to speak. A representative for Pancholy shared a copy of the letter with The Associated Press.
Education officials said they were not given a “real opportunity” to answer questions or provide guidance about the event, which they said was aimed at emphasizing the importance of treating all people equally. Ta.
Administrators added that the school board's decision “has a significant impact on our school community, especially our students and faculty who are members of the LGBTQ+ community.” They also noted that the actor's sexual identity was cited as a factor in the decision. Pancholi's humanity was reduced to a single aspect and his ability to convey a message against bullying and hatred was discredited. ”
The Associated Press sent an email to each school board member on Friday seeking comment.
Pancholy, 48, is an award-winning actor for roles in the TV shows “30 Rock'' and “Weeds,'' as well as the voice of Baljeet in the Disney animated series “Phineas and Ferb.'' He also writes children's books and was appointed by then-President Barack Obama to the President's Advisory Council on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in 2014, where he co-founded the Campaign to Combat AAPI Bullying. did.
Pancholy's appearance was scheduled by the school's instructional team, which annually selects authors who present “unique educational experiences to students,” according to the district.
The school board's vote to cancel Pancholy's appearance also drew criticism from several parents, students and community members who called the decision “homophobic.” Some people have started an online petition calling for Pancholi to be reinstated.
In a statement posted on social media this week, Pancholy said the school visits were aimed at “letting all young people know they are seen.”
“It’s just to let them know they’re important.”
He also said that one of the reasons he became a writer was because as a child, he never saw himself represented in stories.
“That's the power of books: they build empathy,” Pancholy wrote. “Why is the school board so afraid of it?”