South Williamsport Students Speak Out Over SPAMALOT Cancellation at School Board Meeting

South Williamsport, Pa. residents and students spoke out over the recent cancellation of the high school's planned 2015 musical SPAMALOT at a school board meeting last night, bringing the recent censorship controversy to a supposed head. Despite the board's intent to make a decision on whether the school would be allowed to mount the production next year, no action was taken - instead, the students' mixed feelings on now-fired director Dawn Burch overshadowed the initial controversy, according to The Williamsport Sun-Gazette and The New York Times.

As previously reported, principal Jesse Smith halted the production earlier this school year after purchasing the licensing fees to the Tony-winning musical. At the time, he claimed the cancellation rested on the show's "controversial material," though it was eventually revealed in an email exchange with Burch, that Smith and the school board's concerns were with the production's "homosexual themes."

Following the news that Burch had been let go last Friday, many assumed it was in direct relation to SPAMALOT, though the school board cited job performance issues. At the meeting last night, students claimed that Burch had treated them "unfairly and offensively" during the shool's previous musical.

Burch told The Times via email yesterday: "I only wish that students, parents and administration had taken the time to meet with me in regards to the show and that someone would have asked to actually see the script with the approved changes for high schools."

Burch's husband, Sam Burch, a member of the school board cancel, announced his resignation yesterday.

Mark Stamm, district superintendent, insisted "a period of healing" was needed. "We need to create an environment that is open and caring for every student and parent in our community," he said. "We're looking into how we can move forward together."

No new musical for South Williamsport's Spring 2015 season has been announced.