What do students think of Prom Queen: The Musical?
Kate Dubinski | CBC News | Posted: January 19, 2018 9:02 AM | Last Updated: January 19, 2018
The Thames Valley District and London District Catholic school boards pulled funding for the production
Amid the outcry about two London, Ont., school boards pulling funding for a production of Prom Queen: The Musical, we asked students what they think of the decision.
We went to Central Secondary School, where rehearsals are underway for a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Some had worked on previous High School Project productions at the Grand Theatre, including Evita and Les Miserables.
Chloe Martin
"It's really disappointing to take funding away from initiatives like this. It's a really great outlet for high school students and I think that the arts should be promoted."
Robert McKenzie
"Art is a form of protest, a valid form of protest. This is based on facts, a real thing that happened. It's important to tell these true stories in a time when we're increasingly divided and increasing feelings of homophobia, racism, sexism, misogyny."
Olivia Farquhar
"Art does influence kids in a strong, impactful way, and I think that while it could have negative reactions, overall it's a good story that should be told."
Yousef Syed
"If parents or anyone wants to watch the play, they should have a discussion. It's disappointing that the board has cut funding. A lot of people should go see this."
Scott Kim
"This ban, this lack of funding, is a disappointment. School is an important place for people and principals and teachers play an important role. I hope we can reflect on how far we've come since 2002."
Holly Clemas
"If adults are portrayed negatively, that's even more of a reason to support this. They need to embrace the mistakes of the past and say 'we're here to support you.' Otherwise, school may be just another place where you don't feel accepted."
Ben Russell
"The theatre is a good place to hang out and meet people and get to know people who belive in things. This is disappointing."
Sean Christensen
"There are a lot of different viewpoints and it's hard to decide what's right and what's wrong. The board has a point –rules are rules, and rules are meant to be followed, and they have rules against foul language, so maybe this was the wrong choice for a play that's funded by the schools."