Central Pa. School District Cancels Gay Actor's Speech Due to His Activism and 'Lifestyle'

30 Rock actor Maulik Pancholy was scheduled to speak out against bullying at Mountain View Middle School in Mechanicsburg. However, the district's school board voted unanimously Monday night to cancel his speech after some members expressed concerns and others pointed out the district's policy of not hosting overtly political events.

A Cumberland County school district has canceled an upcoming appearance by actor and children's book author Maulik Pancholy after district leaders raised concerns about what they described as his activism and “style of life “.

Pancholy, who is gay, was scheduled to speak against bullying at a May 22 assembly at Mountain View Middle School in Mechanicsburg. However, the district's school board voted unanimously Monday evening to cancel his speech after some members expressed concerns and others pointed out the district's policy of not holding overtly political events, they said. reported the media. The policy was adopted after the district came under fire for hosting a Donald Trump rally during his 2016 presidential campaign.

Pancholy, 48, is an award-winning actor, most notably for his roles on the TV shows “30 Rock” and “Weeds,” and as the voice of Baljeet in the Disney animated series “Phineas & Ferb.” He has also written children's books and, in 2014, was appointed by then-President Barack Obama to serve on the Presidential Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, where he co-founded a campaign to combat AAPI bullying.

Pancholy's appearance was scheduled by the school's leadership team, which selects an author each year to present a “unique educational experience for students,” according to the district.

In discussing the appearance at Monday night's meeting, school board members said they didn't know what Pancholy's speech would be about, but one member said he didn't “want to take the chance” of what this might entail.

“If you look for this individual, he presents himself as an activist,” Bud Shaffner said, according to Pennlive. “He takes pride in his lifestyle and I don’t think that should be forced on our students, regardless of their age.” »

The board's vote drew criticism from several parents, students and community members who called the decision “homophobic.” Some have started online petitions demanding that Pancholy's appearance be reinstated.

The board's decision also drew sharp criticism from the district superintendent and cabinet-level administration, who in a statement said the following:

As a public school, it is our responsibility to serve the entire community. Part of this service is the need to protect those under our influence. No one should feel like they are inferior to anyone else. Mr. Pancholys' visit would have reinforced for our students the importance of treating all people with dignity and respect, even if we don't agree with them or don't understand something about them. This is one of the main principles of our Portrait.

In a press release published on social networks, Pancholy said that as a middle school student, he never saw himself represented in stories and that books featuring South Asian American or LGBTQ+ characters “didn't exist.” When he began writing his own novels years later, he still struggled to find these stories, he said.

“It’s the reason I wrote my books in the first place,” Pancholy wrote. “Because representation matters.”

Pancholy said his visits to schools were intended “to let all young people know that they are seen. To let them know they matter. When he talks about his characters feeling “different,” he says he's always surprised by how many kids of diverse identities and backgrounds are also willing to share how different they feel.

“That’s the power of books. They develop empathy,” Pancholy wrote. “I wonder why a school board is so afraid of this?

Keystone Community Editor Patrick Berkery contributed to this report.