Schools cancel tickets for 'Cootie Shots' play amid gay concerns

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The theme of the University of Minnesota Morris' production of the children's show "Cootie Shots" is tolerance. But some school officials in west-central Minnesota say they won't tolerate a show they believe promotes homosexuality.

Approximately 1,200 students -- or 40 percent of the anticipated audience -- will not see the production that opens Thursday because at least four school districts have withdrawn requests for tickets.

Controversy over the show, a heavily edited version of a series of scripts titled "Cootie Shots: Theatrical Inoculations Against Bigotry," began when a few parents saw the script.

The Morris production of this show, which originated in California and has played nationwide, "does not mention, refer to or portray sexuality of any kind in any way," said Ray Schultz, the show's director.

"Oh, it's very obvious," countered Laura Carrington, a Morris school board member and retired teacher. "There's a script called 'The Parable of the Stimples.' The Stimples are people who are told that it's OK to make loud noises, but just don't make them in public. Isn't that similar to what, for years, homosexuals were told?

"Suddenly, there were more Stimples than ever. They mention that Stimples don't seem quite so 'queer.' That's pretty out front. I don't think it's the school's responsibility to promote the homosexual lifestyle."

http://www.startribune.com/stories/389/5358047.html

The homophobes strike again.

the merest whiff of *gasp* acceptance of gay people as human beings anywhere in this befucked world and to rant and scream about it and stamp it out by any means imaginable.

i think this next election we'll be a red state...all the suburbs are closing in on the tiny cities of minneapolis and st. paul, it's definitely time to get out.