Sherman High School theater students will get their roles back in Oklahoma!
After an emotional school board meeting Monday night, trustees emerged from a lengthy closed session and voted on a total reversal: They directed the superintendent to reinstate Sherman High students in the roles they held at the beginning of the month, prior to a decision to revoke their parts based on gender. They also directed the school to return to the original script, rather than an abbreviated “youth” version.
“I’ll be acting upon the board’s direction,” Superintendent Tyson Bennett said.
The move came after nearly two weeks of controversy at the high school.
Max Hightower, a 17-year-old transgender boy, was cast in a male role for the musical. He threw himself into preparing for the part — until the principal told his parents earlier this month that there was a new policy under which only male actors could play male roles, and only female actors could play female roles.School leaders also removed girls in the musical who were playing male roles.
Dozens of speakers showed up at Monday night’s Sherman school board meeting in protest. They demanded the students sing in their original roles and slammed the trustees for discriminating against a transgender child.
After a lengthy meeting behind closed doors, board president Brad Morgan apologized to the students, parents and community impacted by the decision.
“We understand that our decision does not erase the impact this had on our community,” he said.
The board plans to hold a meeting Friday to continue the discussion about the theater program.
Max’s father, Phillip Hightower, said immediately after the vote that he’s glad district officials came to their senses — and that they apologized.
“There still needs to be accountability,” he said.
