A petition on Change.org seeks signers to join an effort against Keller ISD’s new theater policy, approved in August, that some call censorship.
Parent Courtney Mullaney launched the petition to end the policy, which requires a superintendent-led review of every play and musical before it can be performed.
As a result, Mullaney said, previously approved productions, including “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime,” “Ruthless,” and “Yellow Boat ” are now off limits.
"As parents of children actively participating in the Fine Arts programs of Keller ISD, we are alarmed by the sudden increase in censorship of the theatre departments across the district," the petition reads.
Other high schools have performed these plays, including “Yellow Boat,” as recently as this month. The play involves a child with hemophilia who contracts AIDS after a medically necessary blood transfusion. Cary High School in North Carolina presented the show last weekend. In Texas, Royal ISD, west of Houston, produced it in 2020.
Last fall, Legacy High School in Mansfield ISD put on “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime,” based on the book about a n autistic boy who looks into the death of a neighbor’s dog.
A senior in Keller ISD, Nathan Beets, wrote on the change.org petition that "theater can have a profound effect on its audience. We can’t do that if we are censored from portraying real-life stories on stage; stories that people may find uncomfortable to talk about, but are best conveyed through art."
Earlier this year, Keller ISD was accused of censorship when it cancelled “The Laramie Project,” a play about the murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student in Wyoming. After public pushback, the district reversed its controversial decision and the play was produced.
Keller ISD’s website says the district’s fine arts program is among “the finest in the nation.” It lists among key values “respect for the diversity of our school community through a culture of understanding and personalized learning opportunities.”
KERA contacted Keller ISD for comment about the policy but hasn’t received a response.
Bill Zeeble is KERA’s education reporter. Got a tip? Email Bill at bzeeble@kera.org. You can follow him on X @bzeeble.
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