Pennsylvania board’s cancellation of gay actor’s school visit ill-advised, education leaders say
MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — A Pennsylvania school board’s cancellation of an upcoming performance by actor and children’s book author Maulik Pancholy was ill-advised and sends a hurtful message, especially to the LGBTQ+ community, education officials said.
A member of the Cumberland Valley School District board raised concerns about what he described as Pancholy’s activism and “lifestyle” before the board voted unanimously Monday to cancel his appearance at a May 22 meeting at Mountain View Middle School. Pancholy, who is gay, is said to have spoken out against bullying.
In addition to their concerns about Pancholy, some board members also noted the district’s policy of not hosting overtly political events, news media reported. The policy was introduced after the district was criticized for hosting a rally for Donald Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign.
District Superintendent Mark Blanchard and nine other senior leaders — including assistant superintendents and district-level directors of technology, curriculum, legal, human resources, student services and special education — sent a letter Thursday to the board, faculty and staff alleging that Pancholy’s speaking should have been allowed. Pancholy’s representatives shared a copy of the letter with The Associated Press.
Education officials said they were not given a “real opportunity” to answer questions or provide advice about the event, which they said was aimed at reinforcing the importance of equal treatment for all people.
Administrators added that the school board’s decision had “significant impacts on our school community, especially our students and staff who are members of the LGBTQ+ community.” They also noted that the actor’s sexual identity was cited as a factor in the decision, meaning “Mr. Pancholy’s personality was reduced to a single aspect, and his ability to convey a message of anti-bullying and hate brought into disrepute.’
The Associated Press sent emails to individual school board members Friday seeking comment.
Pancholy, 48, is an award-winning actor, including for his roles in the television shows “30 Rock” and “Weeds,” and as the voice of Baljeet in the Disney animated series “Phineas & Ferb.” He has also written children’s books and was appointed by then-President Barack Obama in 2014 to the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, where he co-founded a campaign to combat AAPI bullying.
Pancholy’s appearance was planned by the school’s leadership team, which selects an author each year to present a “unique educational experience for students,” the district said.
The school board’s decision to cancel Pancholy’s performance also drew criticism from several parents, students and community members, who called the decision “homophobic.” Some have started online petitions calling for Pancholy’s appearance to be restored.
In a statement posted on social media this week, Pancholy said his school visits are intended “to let all young people know they are seen.”
“To let them know that they matter.”
He also said that one of the reasons he became an author was because he never saw himself represented in stories as a child.
“That is the power of books. They build empathy,” Pancholy wrote. “I wonder why a school board is so afraid of that?”