Watch the video as openly gay actor Maulik Pancholy, best known for his part on 30 Rock was disinvited from speaking at a middle school anti-bullying assembly. Newly elected Moms For Liberty school board member Kelly Potteiger voiced concerns about his "political activism" and what two school board members called his “lifestyle".
The Southen Poverty Law Center has designated Moms for liberty as an antigovernment extremist group due in part to its anti-LGBTQ, anti-gender identity, and anti-inclusive curriculum and political activism.
Donald Trump held a rally at Cumberland Valley High School during his 2016 campaign for president one board member recalled during the meeting. There is surely nothing political about that. Yet one gay man, a renowned actor and author speaking to students about bullying, empathy, and compassion would be misconstrued as political activism.
U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, took to
Threads to express his concern and to urge school board members to reconsider their unanimous decision.
"This decision is deeply wrong and affirms exactly why it's so important to have a conversation about bullying.""This is a learning experience for the children’s education & perspective, and I’m calling on the Cumberland Valley School District Board to reverse their vote and let maulikpancholy speak." Post by @senfettermanpa
View on Threads
Pancholy’s scheduled appearance at Mountain View Middle School in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, was unanimously overturned by the district’s school board in a public meeting on April 15.
“If you research this individual, he labels 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,” board member Bud Shaffner said at the meeting.
Trisha Comstock, a former parent at the school, started a Change.org petition to reinstate the empathy and anti-bullying assembly.
