Horrifying Remarks by Authority Figures Impacting LGBTQ+ Youth

TFD – The controversy over Maulik Pancholy’s lecture postponement sheds light on the impact of authority figures’ remarks on LGBTQ+ youth, emphasizing the need for diversity and anti-bullying efforts in education.

Parents in a Pennsylvania school district are attempting to reverse a majority decision made by the school board to postpone a lecture by actor Maulik Pancholy, of “30 Rock,” due to worries about his “lifestyle” and “activism.”

Gay children’s book author Pancholy was supposed to talk on May 22 at Mountain View Middle School in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. However, the CVSD (Cumberland Valley School District) decided to postpone his visit on Monday by a majority decision.

A petition calling for the board to overturn its decision was established by Trisha Comstock, a parent in the school system, and has amassed over 6,000 signatures.

In addition to playing the assistant on the television program “30 Rock” and providing the voice of Baljeet in the animated series “Phineas and Ferb,” Pancholy is also the author of two critically acclaimed children’s novels with anti-bullying and empathy as main topics.

Nikhil Out Loud” tells the tale of an Indian American gay youngster who attends a school where parents object to their child becoming the lead in the musical. “The Best at It,” another one of Pancholy’s many honors, tells the story of an Indian American seventh-grader who is bullied in his small Midwest community.

The board meeting on Monday was livestreamed by the school system, but the videos are not archived.

Although Pancholy’s program was not scheduled in the meeting’s itinerary, Comstock told she began screen recording when board members started debating whether or not to cancel it. Later, she shared a copy of the film with CNN and uploaded it to social media.

Speaking at the meeting, several board members expressed their worries about the subjects Powell will cover while discussing his novels.

During the discussion, CVSD board member Bud Shaffner stated, “He describes himself as an activist, he is proud of his lifestyle, and I don’t think that should be imposed upon our students at any age.”

Shaffner expressed concerns to board member Kelly Potteiger regarding Pancholy talking about his “lifestyle.”

He stated it was not the theme of his books, but that is what they are about. Potteiger added that since he writes about inclusion, empathy, and anti-bullying, he will probably discuss his route. “As a self-described activist, I believe that’s where it gets concerning.”

In the end, the board decided to call off the event by a unanimous decision.

In a statement that was shared on Instagram on Thursday, Pancholy addressed the district’s decision and thanked the locals for their “outpouring of solidarity, love, and support.”

My ‘activism’ when I go to schools is to let all young people know that they matter.” to convey to them the importance of them. Regardless of their identities and backgrounds, I’m constantly amazed by how many young people raise their hands to tell about the ways in which they, too, feel different when I talk about the characters in my novels feeling “different,” Pancholy said in the statement.

That is the power of literature. They foster empathy. Why is the school board so terrified of it, I wonder?

Comstock, whose two boys attended Mountain View Middle School and are currently enrolled in the district’s high school, claims that on Monday night, when she was in bed, she was watching the livestream of the board meeting on her phone when some of the participants started saying things that she considered to be “bigoted and homophobic.”

“I recall my lips hanging wide,” Comstock said. “I was shocked by what was being said and the lack of corrections or responses from anyone. My heart fell when I realized the vote was unanimous.

Comstock claimed that the meeting had haunted her later that night as she struggled to go asleep. Rather than go to sleep, she got up and began the petition.

Since then, it has amassed hundreds of signatures, many of which were accompanied by irate remarks from nearby families, employees, and students.

“In addition to district parents and students who feel ignored and unheard, I have also received private messages from teachers—many of whom identify as gay—who attended the meeting and sobbed, asking themselves, ‘Am I welcome here?'” “Do I fit in?” Comstock stated.

In response to TFD’s request for comments, the Cumberland Valley School District, CVSD board members, and Mountain View Middle School did not answer.

In spite of the district’s decision, Comstock stated she has cause for optimism.

The bright side, according to Comstock, is that the community has spoken out against this and declared it to be wrong. “We need to address this because it is not who we are.”

Not sure if we belong.

Gay student Brooke Ryerson, who currently attends the district’s high school after formerly attending Mountain View Middle School, says she “couldn’t believe” what she was hearing when she watched the board meeting livestream.

They are overtly expressing their belief that LGBTQ+ lives and stories have no place in our schools. This only serves to confirm the nagging question of whether we truly belong to the innumerable LGBTQ+ students and staff at CV, particularly at Mountain View Middle School, Brooke, 16, told TFD.

Matthew Barrick, another board member, expressed his desire to have “politics out of our school” at the meeting.

Parents have expressed unhappiness of the board’s decision to reject so-called activists, pointing out that Potteiger’s selection to the school district board was supported by Moms for Liberty, a right-wing organization that works on many school-related causes.

Moms for Liberty was established in 2021 and advocates for the removal of some books from school curriculum, particularly those that deal with LGBTQ+ issues. It also opposes classroom discussions of gender and sexuality and the teaching of so-called “critical race theory.”

The middle school where the event was scheduled is attended by Colby Zebel’s daughter Willow, a 7th grader, who told TFD that the board’s decision sends a message to pupils that they are “not concerned about bullying, especially if you are gay.”

“My kid is really upset. She is irritated about missing the conversation, but the manner in which this choice was made and its apparent justifications are what really bother her. Zebel told TFD, “It is also evident to her that the main cause for the cancellation is the presenter’s sexual orientation.

“It is not credible to try to walk this back and say he is a political activist. I looked at his website, and although the word “activist” appears frequently, the only topic discussed is anti-bullying; politics is never brought up.

Comstock also objected to the board’s designation of Pancholy as an activist.

Comstock stated, “Anyone can visit his website and see that his activism is around bullying.” “We could never host a Mothers Against Drunk Driving event or any other event where drunk driving is a problem if we view activists as threats to our students.

Chopsley explains that he never saw himself in literature and that South Asian-American or LGBTQ+ characters “didn’t exist” for him, which is why he wrote the children’s novels.

And those stories were still hard to come by when I decided to create my own novels so many years later. I started writing my works for this reason. In his statement, he stated, “Because representation matters.”

“I hope that message of love and support is reaching every single student at MVMS. that you are aware that you belong, no matter who you are. To each of you: I see you. Thank you very much. You are important. You cannot lose that to anyone.

The district is renowned for having “the very best administrators, teachers, guidance counselors, and staff,” many of whom are LGBT, according to Brooke’s mother, Valarie Ryerson, who spoke to CNN.

“Knowing that we have so many members of the LGBTQT+ community in our schools, teachers, and students – including my daughter – who now feel completely devalued, unwelcome, and unsafe, Mr. Shaffner’s comments that kids should not be ‘exposed’ to a gay speaker turned my stomach,” Ryerson said.

Brooke remarked, “I’ve been extremely fortunate to have so much support from my family and in school.”

“However, it must be horrifying for children who aren’t honest about who they are to hear remarks like these made by individuals in positions of such authority.”