More letters regarding play cancellation

I am very concerned with a series of events that happened at Centre Dufferin District High School this past week.

In early fall I was approached to help with the wardrobe for a musical and of course was more than happy to help as I have done for three other productions. The script was reviewed, adjusted for the students, one student had been working on the choreography since June, a teacher had rewritten parts of the script and another one had rewritten the music so the school band could handle it. Auditions were held and the lead actors chosen before Christmas and rehearsals were well underway. The chorus was chosen in January and staff and community members were on board to make the musical, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels a success. Students were volunteering to help sew or work on props, lighting and sound. The cheque had been written and sent for the rights to the script and the full scripts received. I know that something of this magnitude would have gone through administration at some point in time.

On Friday the administration at CDDHS pulled a black cloud over the school when they cancelled the musical the last school day before exams. Students in the cast were in tears and even some who had nothing to do with the musical were asking why and stunned. The principal and vice principal told the cast at lunch time on Friday and then walked away, back to their offices to leave the staff to deal with the grief of the students who felt they had just experienced a death in the school. I attended the meeting for the staff and school volunteers working on the musical after school and the atmosphere was worse than a funeral home.

I am upset and appalled that the administration:

-did this to the student’s right before exams,

-did not show enough interest to read the script which there were copies of before they agreed to purchase the rights to the musical wasting money from other musicals or before auditions were held

-did not stop the musical in the fall before the students were hurt, and before teachers and students put so much work into it (One student gave up three dancing jobs to do the choreography for this high school musical)

-did not trust their staff enough and believe they could make the musical an age appropriate musical. (Grease which was done three years ago is rated PG as is Dirty Rotten Scoundrels)

I feel that the administration of CDDHS is inflicting their morals on the staff and students and not seeing the musical for what it is and that is a comical farce. Or are they just on a power trip out to hurt the students and staff they should be caring about?

I am questioning when I look at the mission statement for CDDHS:

“CDDHS has a proud tradition of academic excellence and extra-curricular success. We believe students, staff, parents and the whole community are all partners, responsible for student learning at CDDHS. As a team, our commitment, flexibility and mutual respect ensures success for all students. Our goal is to create a welcoming safe and friendly environment where all students develop a pathway that leads to future success.” and the vision for CDDHS if some of the points were overlooked

• together, all partners should work as a team based on commitment, flexibility and mutual respect.

• an inviting, safe, orderly school environment created by all partners is essential for success.

• to be the best we can be as individuals and as partners, we also value: fairness and respect among partners; tolerance and open communication; positive participation in social experiences and school spirit.

So much disappointment, shattering of school spirit and the emotional spirit of our young people could have been avoided if Ms Wilson and Mr. Hamilton had made their decision months earlier. I feel it will be a long time before we will see a musical at Centre Dufferin District High School. I felt like we should have been lowering the flag on Friday when I saw the hurt on the faces of the staff and students. As one student asked me after school, “How are we to study for our exams now?”

I only hope the students can recover from this and be successful in their exams and feel they are in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere which is essential to learning and building confidence as a person.

Helen Fraser

Shelburne

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I was shocked to read of the cancellation of the school musical at CDDHS,

Generally speaking, one of the truly fond memories of high school for most students is that of their involvement in the school musical. These shows bring together huge numbers of students and staff and the community at large.

CDDHS has a long history of staging very successful musicals: always professionally done in every way, and always with the support and even involvement of the administration.

What will the students of 2010 remember about their high school musical? They will remember the awful pall of arbitrary censorship and the betrayal of those who are soused to support and advocate for them.

Something has gone very, very wrong and it may be very, very difficult to right. This is a profoundly sad situation for the school, its staff and mainly its students.

Peter Moore

Orangeville