They should absolutely be allowed to put on this musical. Shame on the administrators who made this decision.

As an alumni of PCHS and District 202 as well as the fine arts in the school, I have to say I'm ashamed of Plainfield (for this dilemmas along with many others). There are greater things the school should be concerned with shutting down rather than a musical. The show should go on!

In this day and age, I feel that PHS-CC should be allowed to perform "Rent". For the school district to say that the play “is inappropriate, based on some of its content" is ridiculous.

Hernandez said Friday in an email. “For example: the show gets into drug use, disrespect for the law and sexual promiscuity, among other topics. While some of the profanity is toned down from the ‘official’ version, the rest of the script still caused significant enough concern to make this decision, which was not done lightly.”

What are the other topics? Is Homosexuality one of them? It sure sounds that way to me.

PHS-CC performed "How to Succeed" this past Spring and has also performed "West Side Story" in previous years. Both of those plays had controversial issues. In "How to Succeed", there were many innuendos regarding sexual promiscuity with the secretaries and two characters were even having an extra-marital affair. Was that not inappropriate?

District 202 has always promoted acceptance and tolerance. "Rent" is basically about a group of friends, who care enough about one another, to stick together through thick and thin. Isn't that the message that we want to convey to our young people???

Kudos to the students who are willing to fight for what they believe in. You should be very proud of yourselves!!!!!

Shame on you District 202!!!

unbelievable.
How in the world can words be 'inappropriate', yet considering installing ACTUAL rifles in the school be considered appropriate?

This administration has its priorities completely messed up. And another story that will no doubt make national headlines, to the embarrassment of the rest of the community.

If we want to talk about inappropriate, lets start discussing the salaries and pensions these administrators make, and why the school board is being complicit in this spending.

What makes it disappointing is that by today's standards RENT is pretty innocuous...Book of Mormon has sold out to rave reviews and it makes RENT seem rather meek!!

This story has been picked up on the front page of /education on Reddit;
http://www.reddit.com/r/education/

The only thing inappropriate here, is the behavior of these administrators.

To anyone who is available and wants to speak directly to the board about this issue-- there is a board meeting TOMORROW (10/9) at Eichelberger Elementary school at 7:30 pm. If you wish to speak during the public comment session, you must sign up when you arrive at the meeting. We appreciate any support, thank you so much!

Come on and get your head out of the sand...this is a high school, not a junior high play. Parents may not want to admit this but some high school kids in Plainfield are gay, are having sex, and have done drugs. My daughters told me that during homecoming, there were boys doing a spoof about cheerleaders and were gyrating on the gym floor and everyone including teachers and administrators were laughing about it. Hve the guts and make a statement PSD 202 school board....let Plainfield Central Rent!

Censorship has no place in Government! If these kids do a tasteful rendition that the board should not complain! Just a NOTE - my four year old granddaughter knows ho to use a keyboard and her families computer too. We have to look at the future of America, not her past in the 80s!

Proof that Dist. 202 has way too many administrators. Sad. Very sad.

Clearly some people haven't read the script if they think there's only 1 drug reference...Check your sources guys. Page 43 of the script is a group of junkies asking everyone for drugs.

So sad. Once again, the priorities of the board and the school administration are outdated. Of course, this is a fine arts event, not a sport.....and we all know how much the fine arts are valued in this school district....NOT!

I wonder if you're looking at page 43 of RENT or page 43 of RENT: School Edition?

Also, something that we did not mention: of all the characters in this show who use drugs, not one of them does not see a consequence. Several characters have to live with AIDS and one of them, Angel, actually dies. We would not wish to put on a show with these topics if we did not believe that we could handle them delicately. Our intention is to relay an honest and serious message with all the reality that we can. Any reference to drugs in this show is negative and would not promote drug use in any way.

While I won't be bringing my "littles" to view the performance, I'm a constitutional conservative. I believe in free speech and I believe in the right of the students to go on with this performance.

Now, if the Wizard of Oz were on the marquee we would put it on our list of things to do this spring. I can't say that we will be patronizing the play, but I don't agree with the district for censoring it. We will just make an informed decision not to attend based on the adult content much too mature for my 6 and 9 year olds that would be joining us.

I don't see this as any different than choosing to watching a movie based on it's PG rating. Give me a choice and I will make it for MY family.

That said, if

This absolutely SICKENS me....shame on you for not allowing this play to go on. Last year when my daughter was a senior, EVERY SINGLE REQUIRED English novel that she had to read had the word f**k in it multiple times yet you are going to censor the school version of Rent? I am outraged!!!!!!! Who in their right mind made this decision? Was it the administrators of the school or the school board? Whoever you are, you need to rethink this decision because you are NOT showing tolerance by banning this play!!! I will be sharing this on my Facebook page just to show everyone how sickening you all are. LET THE SHOW GO ON!!!

http://www.scribd.com/doc/68416809/RENT-School-Edition-Full-Script

Read Page 43.

I'm not saying I agree with the decision, and I'm not saying that it's right, I'm just saying that I understand.
And that's all I'm going to say about that.

I would like to suggest La Cage Aux Folles. Because it's hilarious, has none of the things that the District is verbally saying they have a problem with, and if they deny that then you really can make a case of them being homophobic. I think Rent is a tricky subject to make a homophobic argument with just because there are so many other issues people could have with it.
Also La Cage Aux Folles is AWESOME

Did anyone else notice that this censorship decision was made during the nationwide 'Banned Books Week'?

Stay classy D202 administration!

Don't let the 1300 number impress you, our family was added without our permission. We certainly don't support PCHS-CC. We support the district.

It's theatre. All theatre has a message. That's kind of the point of art and drama. Put out a disclaimer that it may not be appropriate for children under 10 or 12. Or...let parents decide if their kids can participate or watch it...there's a novel idea.

Good grief. Look at the high school staple "Grease." A "good girl" gets mocked and teased for "being good," by a girl gang of which one of the members fears she is pregnant (interpretation: that means she had sex). Then, in order to be accepted, the good girl begins to smoke, and dress and act like the rest of the Pink Ladies (presumably going to have sex, too) and, VOILA! She's accepted with open arms. And gets the boy. What kind of message does THAT send? Yet it is continually performed in high schools without much of a peep.

Way to go District 202! This play has no place in schools! Stand your ground and do not cave to those pushing a gay agenda! The teacher that suggested this should not be working with kids.

A school in my Patch town performed the student version of RENT a year ago. It drew some concerns at the outset, but standing ovations at the final curtain. http://patch.com/A-ggdL

What is the saddest part of all this, is that these administrators are worried about a PLAY that talks about drug use, yet at the same time this area is seeing an explosion of heroin use that is being almost completely ignored by this same administration.

I guess this push for absolute control over the issues of what people talk about, give them some consolation about not having done anything to address the real-life situation going on right under their noses. Part of addressing the problem, is being able to face the issue out in the open, and not pretend that not talking about it will make it go away. Like has been said, this says more about the administrators making these 'decisions', than it says about the content of any censored play.

Understandable, but sad.

Thank you for sharing, Nick! Also, Mrs. Frederiksen is one of the most knowledgable, open-minded teachers that I've had. She chose the show not to bring controversial topics to the school setting, but to help us advance as actors and to keep our minds open. RENT is a show that makes you think. To say that she should not work with kids is out of place. Many of us will be old enough to vote this year, we are forming our own ideas and morals.

Also.... (Sorry!) Mrs. Frederiksen is not speaking out about the situation. The school board gave her the decision and she informed us of the change. She has had no say in this fight for the show, she has kept herself completely uninvolved.

Just like to put in my opinion as an 18 year old who attended this school. The first time i saw rent my reaction wasnt to go out and do a bunch of drugs and become a stripper, it was to cry because the hard lives all these people live and how they get through it at the end together. My senior year i read a book with the F word in it on almost every page and another book that intended a rape. I honestly dont even believe its fair that most of you parents are saying its horrible when it is actually a very touching play. Also id like to point out that at ITMS the choir group sang RENT songs, the ones with the drug, sexual, and criminal refrences...

Good for District 202! I'm glad that some in our society are clinging to the shreds of morality left in the wake of the devastatingly powerful liberal agenda. It's not just the homosexuality that poisons this play: Mimi, a 19 year old drug addict dying of AIDS chose to become a stripper rather than go to college or marry and start a family. The group rejoices as Collins literally steals thousands of dollars from innocent people with their money in banks. Angel, mad that Benny so selfishly insists that they pay their rent, brutally murders his little dog. It's the epitome of irresponsibility: just because they're "artists" they are entitled to a free apartment and don't have to pay rent like the rest of us. It normalizes drug use and glamorizes selfishness.

Good for District 202! I'm glad that some in our society are clinging to the shreds of morality left in the wake of the devastatingly powerful liberal agenda. It's not just the homosexuality that poisons this play: Mimi, a 19 year old drug addict dying of AIDS chose to become a stripper rather than go to college or marry and start a family. The group rejoices as Collins literally steals thousands of dollars from innocent people with their money in banks. Angel, mad that Benny so selfishly insists that they pay their rent, brutally murders his little dog. It's the epitome of irresponsibility: just because they're "artists" they are entitled to a free apartment and don't have to pay rent like the rest of us. It normalizes drug use and glamorizes selfishness.