Keller ISD cancels the "Laramie Project" play. UPDATE: Play reinstated. New news article section on reinstatement.

The climate is deteriorating. We need to mobilize. UPDATE: PLAY REINSTATED. Additio

Feb 26, 2024

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Dallas Morning News reports that the “Laramie Project” Play is re-instated.

The issue isn’t that they became sane. The issue is that corporations won’t locate headquarters and business locations that have a reputation of being run by Christian crazies. Even if they do, it is hard to get elite talent and skilled talent to move their when the local school district is known to be run by Christian crazies. Further, businesses, when they start having difficulties recruiting talent, start considering re-locating.

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/2024/03/06/keller-high-school-backtracks-will-perform-the-laramie-project/

More articles on the reversal in another section later in this post.

Dallas Morning News article announcing that Keller High School has cancelled the play.

“Keller high school cancels “The Laramie Project,” a play about gay student’s murder,” Feb. 26, 2024.

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/2024/02/26/keller-high-school-cancels-the-laramie-project-a-play-about-gay-students-murder/

2nd article asking why the play was cancelled.

https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/2024/02/29/why-did-keller-isd-cancel-its-performance-of-the-laramie-project/

This is the student’s petition to have the play. PLEASE SIGN.

And then please share.

https://www.change.org/p/allow-timbercreek-high-school-to-perform-the-laramie-project

Matthew Shepard Foundation

Matthew Shepard was the student who was murdered horribly.

https://www.matthewshepard.org/the-laramie-project/

They have a YouTube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/@MattShepardFDN/videos

About the play from the Matthew Shepard Foundation

After Matthew’s murder in 1998, members of the Tectonic Theater Project in New York City traveled to Laramie, Wyoming, to interview residents about how the attack on Matt had affected the town. These transcripts were transformed into the play The Laramie Project, which tells the stories of real people who lived at the epicenter of one of the nation’s most heinous anti-gay hate crimes.
The Laramie Project is one of the most frequently performed plays in America, as its messages still resonate with audiences today. The Matthew Shepard Foundation supports dozens of productions of The Laramie Project and its epilogue The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later every year across the country. It’s the goal of the Matthew Shepard Foundation to create an environment where people are afforded an opportunity to discuss the play and its messages, the hate they encounter in their own lives, and how they can work collectively to build a more understanding and compassionate community.

Wikipedia entry for the play.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Laramie_Project

The TV movie The Laramie Project.

IMDb listing.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0257850/

4-hour Keller School Board meeting. I will try to see if I can at least get the times when the Laramie Project was discussed.

The times are a little before the actual event, so you don’t just start immediately into the event. Name spellings are somewhat speculative in some cases.

1:01:50 The issue with the Evangelical film crew is discussed by Board member. Mostly how they will investigate it.

1:10:10 Public speakers start. However, they aren’t necessarily talking about either the Evangelical film crew or the cancellation of the “Laramie Project.”

1:13:20 Speaker against the cancellation Stewart Lenny?

1:15:30 Adam Schultz tells about her Lesbian daughter being harassed.

1:23:00 Christian who after some time gets around to criticize board for anti-LGBT stance and also the evangelical film makers.

1:27:10 Neeley Jones. Asking why they can’t put on the Laramie project.

1:29:40 Christian extremist. Jessical Zachero?

1:31:35 Mike McCallen? Speaks out against the Christian film makers entering the school.

1:33:50 Ann Potts. Spealing about the Christian film crew.

1:37:40 Brooks Mouldenberry? About the cancellation of the Laramie Project. Asking why the play was cancelled. Makes reference to petition.

1:39:35 Holly Rackman? Christian extremist telling the board to continue do what they are doing and ignore protests.

1:41:20 William Samson Cancellation of Laramie Project.

1:45:45 Marianne Weathered. About the cancellation of Laramie Project.

1:47:55 Sherry Simon. Lack of transparency of the Keller ISD about the foreign film crew and why the Laramei Project was cancelled.

1:50:10 Marianne Foley. Film visit of Evangelical Christians. Cancellation of Laramie project.

1:55:45 Morrosi Walki Laramie Project cancellation.

1:56:55 Claire Yonda. Laramie Project cancellation.

1:58:30 Elizabeth Modias? About the Evangelical Christian film visit.

2:00:50 Sailor Wiggens. About the cancellation of the Laramie Project.

2:01

Sailor Wiggins

Evangelical Christians have done a take over of Keller ISD.

This is a Feb. 21, 2024 Dallas Morning News article, “Keller ISD film controversy is not a surprise but should be a lesson.” The subtitle is “This is what happens when elected bodies are captured by ideologues.” Keller ISD was captured by religious zealots and the Dallas Morning News is evading the truth of the matter. Unfortunately it is behind a paywall.

https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/2024/02/21/keller-isd-film-controversy-is-lesson-about-ideologues/

Evangelical Film Crew allowed in to film and interview Central High School students.

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/2024/02/19/keller-trustee-resigns-after-foreign-film-crew-interviews-students-without-parents-consent/