Hillsdale High's THE LARAMIE PROJECT to Be Protested by Baptist Church 3/27

In response to the announced intention by Topeka, Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church to demonstrate against Hillsdale High School's upcoming production of The Laramie Project, the school is organizing a peaceful counter-protest. Westboro Baptist Church, led by Pastor Fred Phelps and a newsmaker for its protests at funerals of soldiers who died in military service, issued a press release stating that it will picket in "religious protest" in front of Hillsdale High School on Saturday, March 27, from 6:15 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

"Administrators are discouraging signs, and the event is not intended to engage Westboro's hateful dialog."
The Tony-award-winning Laramie Project chronicles life in the town of Laramie, Wyoming, a year after 21-year old gay student Matthew Shepard was kidnapped, severely beaten and left to die on the outskirts of the town. Phelps is portrayed in the show for the role he played in Laramie during that year, and his church has picketed or threatened to picket productions of The Laramie Project around the country.

According to Hillsdale High School Theater Director Allison Gamlen, the counter protest, called "Hillsdale's Lovefest," is intended "to show unity and tolerance within the community in the face of adversity."

"Hillsdale is encouraging participants to wear all white to encourage peace or rainbow colors to represent diversity," said Gamlen. "Administrators are discouraging signs, and the event is not intended to engage Westboro's hateful dialog."

The Anti-Defamation League, San Mateo Police Department and San Mateo Union High School District have all been notified of the event, and there will be people escorting Lovefest participants inside of the school, away from the location of the Westboro Baptist Church protest. As an extra precaution, there will be police presence at the school during the protest. Information about the counter protest can be found at: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=365420314253.

The school will be presenting The Laramie Project March 24th-27th at 7:00 pm and March 28th at 2:00 p.m. Thomas Howard from the Matthew Shepard Foundation will lead audience discussions after the show on March 26th and March 27th. Tickets are available online at: https://www.ticketturtle.com/index.php?ticketing=hhsdb.

About Hillsdale High School, San Mateo, Calif.

Hillsdale High School, as a partner with the School Redesign Network at Stanford University, is recognized internationally for its Smaller Learning Communities (SLCs) curriculum and staffing structure. In 2004, Hillsdale radically restructured itself into three "Houses" through which each student receives a rigorous, relevant and personalized education. Since then, all student groups at Hillsdale, as well as the overall student body, have earned API increases of at least 100 points since 2004 and the high school's dropout rate has fallen to the lowest in the San Mateo Union High School District. Ninety-seven percent of Hillsdale students now pursue higher education. In December 2006, Hillsdale was recognized by PBS on Nightly Business Report for the redesign it realized with the help of Stanford University and the Bill and MeLinda Gates Foundation.