Total Pageviews

Search This Blog

Friday, January 13, 2023

Playwriter Paula Vogel calls out superintendent Greene for playing politics/censorship

In a blistering indictment of Superintendent Greene, playwright Paula Vogel, author of Indecent a play recently canceled by DCPS, takes Greene to the mat, pointing out her hypocrisy, and failed leadership. 

From the Times Union: 

“I’m not in the business of politics, but whatever that [school] board says in terms of statements that they've released about why they’re doing this, they’re putting sheep’s clothing over a wolf. And the wolf is Governor DeSantis,” playwright Paula Vogel says about the cancelation of "Indecent" in an interview with the literary rights group PEN America. 

“So the school board is saying, oh, this has nothing to do with the Don’t Say Gay bill. Right. Can I sell you a bridge?” Vogel asks in the conversation posted on PEN America’s website. 

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/education/2023/01/11/playwright-blasts-false-reason-for-canceling-douglas-anderson-play/69797348007/ 

Vogle was speaking truth to power there something that hardly ever happens. In fact, I bet Greene is surrounded by yes men who never question her, who never push back. 

Should we ban books? Yes, mam. 

Should we attack the LGBTQ community. Oh yes, mam. 

Standing up for our veteran teachers is a bad idea, right? certainly mam. 

A few white lies about staffing levels and subs is okay, isn’t it? Yes mam 

We should ban this play, shouldn’t we? Yes, mam, whatever you say, mam. 

Vogle wasn’t having it. Like most of us do, we know banning the play was a bad move. We know banning the play was wrong. 

Banning books, canceling plays, and attacking marginalized groups are all just symptoms of failed leadership, and regardless of how bad Tallahassee is, and believe me I get it, Tallahassee is supremely bad, the buck stops with Greene.  

We could and should be doing better. 

Below is a link to the original piece on the Pen website. 

https://pen.org/paula-vogel-indecent/ 



No comments:

Post a Comment