CATONSVILLE, Md. — A Baltimore County elementary school has stopped plans for a school play because of complaints of negative stereotyping of Arab culture.
The drama club at Westowne Elementary School was planning to perform Disney's "Aladdin Jr." next year. Students auditioned for the play last month and it was due to go on in February. The play is adapted from the popular 1992 Disney film "Aladdin."
The school held a meeting Monday night explaining the decision to cancel it. Some parents agree. Others don't.
One parent, Danette Zaghari-Mask, said her fourth grade son came home upset and humiliated.
"In the play, Arabs are described as barbaric -- those are the exact words that are used. And the actual play was very controversial apparently in the early '90s," Zaghari-Mask said.
Her son decided to drop out of the play, but she also decided to speak out. She's an attorney with the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
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ReplyDeleteBetter not do "The Ten Commandments", either! How horrific! Or, "Lil' Abner" or "Heidi" or....
ReplyDeleteLOL!
You got that right. Insane.
ReplyDeleteHeroes and villains are typically portrayed as stereotypes in theater, fiction, poetry, and film. Pray that those who are offended never get the chance to erase it all.
ReplyDelete