The following is a May 27, 2005 letter to the editor of the Leesburg Today newspaper:
Community Review
Editor, Leesburg Today:
This week the School Borard’s Legislative and Policy Committee will try to fashion a theatrical production policy designed to at least prevent the problem of schools endorsing, via a school play, one side of extremely controversial issues.
Dr. Hatrick offered a well conceived policy recommendation with ideas for implementation. In particular, I applaud the suggestion that theatrical productions should take into account the “sensibilities of the community.” Parents are in every way responsible for their childrens’ education and must have ample opportunity to voice their ideas regarding any and all parts of the system. I would ask that the board consider ways to improve the proposal from Dr. Hatrick so that the public is given the opportunity to review each play, along with the principal, before it can move forward with casting, practice, and production.
Anything we can do to strengthen the parents’ hand in the public educational process so that a production such as “Offsides,” appropriately written by a student trying to express her feelings about this topic but inappropriately shown by the school’s administration, dowsn’t occur again under the aegis of our public schools.
Chris Stevenson, Purcellville