MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - A student-organized drag show that was supposed to take place next week at Madison East High School has been postponed amid safety concerns, a district spokesperson confirmed Monday, NBC 15 reports.
The drag show, organized by the student organization Gender and Sexuality Alliance, was set to be the school’s first annual show on Jan. 19. Principal Mikki Smith referenced the show in a monthly newsletter,describing it as family-friendly and that it is intended to “celebrate, affirm, and support EHS students and staff in our LGBTQIA+ as well as our larger school community.”
District spokesperson Tim LeMonds said the district and school have received many messages in support of the event, but also several messages that “have raised a number of safety concerns for this student-led event.” LeMonds noted the event has received lots of local and national media attention.
Former Gov. Scott Walker came out in opposition of the eventin a tweet posted last week, comparing the event to a strip show and calling it “particularly wrong at school.” An attorney with Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, a conservative law firm, also referenced the event and criticized a potential use of tax dollars.
MMSD School Board President Ali Muldrow countered Walker’s remarksin a Facebook post, saying his comments were “intentionally inaccurate and misleading.”
“Without question, the safety of all of our students, staff, and families must be our top priority,” LeMonds said.
An exact date for when the event would be rescheduled was not provided.
“We know how disappointing this news is for many of our students, however, we feel this decision was necessary to provide time to refine our safety plan around this very important celebration,” LeMonds added.
This article was originally written by Juliana Tornabene for NBC 15 in Madison.
