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Asbury Park
Press
"Laramie Project"
reinstated as a school play
Official reverses
prior decision
BY ERIK LARSEN,
app.com from the Web, August 10, 2007
OCEAN TOWNSHIP —
Superintendent of Schools Thomas M. Pagano on Thursday reversed an earlier
decision and said "The Laramie Project" will be performed at the high school
this fall, ending a weeklong controversy that had gay-rights groups promising to
bring hundreds of protesters to town.
The play — based on the true story of the murder of Matthew Shepard, a
homosexual college student, and the aftermath — had initially been canceled by
administrators, who said its provocative themes might prove a disruption to the
district.
In explaining his reversal Thursday, Pagano — who had said previously that he
would not be pressured into changing his mind — said reaction in the community
was overwhelmingly in favor of the play going on and that no one had expressed
support for the initial decision.
Steven Goldstein, chairman of Garden State Equality, a statewide gay-rights
group, said the district's about-face represented one of the most jubilant days
in the organization's history.
"This victory means that the students of Ocean Township High School will see a
play that will change their lives," Goldstein said. "And that will go such
a long way in bringing mutual respect and tolerance for all people from the
area. This is also a huge victory for academic freedom — it says a lot to
the power of the gay-lesbian community and our allies."
Garden State Equality was preparing for a massive rally and had started securing
tour buses for up to 500 people who were expected to protest at the Board of
Education's Aug. 28 meeting, Goldstein said.
News media tuned in
The event would have drawn national media attention. The controversy had
reached statewide talk radio and The New York Times this week. "The Jersey
Guys" on 101.5 FM had managed to informally book Patriots Theater at the War
Memorial in Trenton, where the governor is inaugurated, for a fall show in the
event the play was not reinstated by the district or school board.
As of Thursday, high school drama coach Bob Angelini got "The Laramie Project"
reinstated for the first three nights in November and also won additional
concessions from the superintendent.
First, the play will not only be viewed by parents and community members over
three nights but will be shown to the entire student body during school hours.
Angelini also will — with individual parental permission — take the show on the
road outside the district, under the West Park Players moniker, the name of the
high school drama club.
"We had a blunt conversation," Angelini said about a talk with Pagano.
"I have a responsibility that supersedes all of the other issues to extricate
the community, the (school) board, from this situation," a visibly shaken Pagano
said Thursday in his office, where the decision was announced. "This
really is it."
Pagano, who received hate mail protesting the cancellation of the play from as
far away as California, said it seemed like "the entire universe was focused on
this community," adding that high school Principal Julia Davidow, who had made
the original decision against putting on the show, was in agreement with him.
Davidow was recovering from surgery and has been unavailable for comment this
week.
Angelini said Pagano called him earlier Thursday.
"Pagano said something to the effect of: "This is my fault. We have
to stop this madness,' " Angelini said. The superintendent then asked
Angelini to meet with him at 5 p.m.
The reinstatement announcement also was attended by Martin Lefsky, the
affirmative action officer for the school district. Lefsky was appointed
to the Monmouth County Human Relations Commission Monday, the day when the panel
voted 13-0 with three abstentions to send a message to the school board urging
it to override the administration. Lefsky abstained, given his conflict of
interest.
Angelini brought Lindsay Wagner, 25, a social worker and aspiring screenwriter,
to the meeting. Wagner, who graduated from Ocean Township High School
seven years ago, had been one of Angelini's star performers and now works with
him in producing the plays at her alma mater.
Praise for all sides
School board member Michael Beson, who said he would have voted to override
Pagano's initial decision, said misconceptions about the play led to the
controversy. He praised the superintendent for his change of heart
Thursday.
"Tom did a great job and service to this community," Beson said. "I think
it was a learning experience for all of us and the community. The
superintendent did a good thing today. I'm proud to have him as our
superintendent."
Beson said when the curtain does go up on "The Laramie Project" Nov. 1, he will
be in the audience with his 12-year-old daughter.
"We live in a time when these discussions are more common than when even we grew
up — it's a common thing, our own former governor came out of the closet, and I
had to explain that to my kids. This is life, it's the world we live in."
Richard Virgilio, 34, who lives with his partner in the Wanamassa section, said
that as he watched the story unfold this week, he wondered whether they had made
the right decision in moving to Ocean Township.
"It should never have become an issue," Virgilio said. "It was insane it
became an issue, and I'm glad the insanity is over with."
"What this really shows me is that this is what our schools need, and that's
tolerance," said Emily Zupkus, 19, a psychology major at Ramapo College of New
Jersey, who graduated from Ocean Township High in 2006. She worked with
Angelini in the West Park Players and said she was appalled when the controversy
erupted.
"It's really great that they decided to listen ... That's awesome," she said.
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