Thursday, October 22, 2009
Lagniappe/Potpourri
As another year of the student-run comedic play, Lagniappe/Potpourri, comes and goes, the yearly controversy of its appropriateness comes also. A couple years ago, the production was very funny, albiet a bit PG-13 in the process. The students loved the show; the neighborhood families, not so much. There was a public outcry from parents, and in the shows following it has been toned down to be very G, with no sexual innuendos, bad words, or other innapropriate comedic tools. And every year, the student population complains about how the show isn't funny anymore because of the forced changes. Regardless of where you fall in the argument, there is an interesting point to be made: that the student run play was intended for student audiences, not necessarily adults, and definitely not younger children. So, do parents have a right to complain about how the show is innapropriate for their children, when thats not its remotely purpose? I believe that parents have no right to complain: if you don't want your kids in elementary school going, then don't bring them. Anyway, the innapropriate themes in the play are nothing compared to the outside influence your children are getting from the media and TV, so whats the point in fighting Lagniappe, when you could be shutting off your children from something much more dangerous by simply turning off their TV, not letting them listen to music, or choosing their friends for them so that they become perfect little innocent kids?
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I completely agree that the neighbors and administration were unreasonably overbearing in editing Lagniappe two years ago. As you said, the show is by students, for students, so why should parents be involved at all?
ReplyDeleteDespite this, there does need to be some regulation of the script. Without any boundaries, the writing could potentially get out of hand and be offensive to some students. Ideally, the students board should censor their own work, but until that happens, the administration will continue to step in to help.
I like inappropriate comedy just as much as anyone, but maybe this sort of media should not be coming from school. One way to solve this problem would be to make Lagniappe separate from the official New Trier umbrella. This would give students the freedom they want (and deserve) and the school would not have to deal with censoring students.
I agree with you also. The show we saw freshmen year was hilarious! It might possibly be the funniest thing I have every seen. I didn't get all the jokes that were mostly aimed at juniors and seniors, but nonetheless, I was literally laughing out loud. I don't think parents have the right to say it's inappropriate. It is, but guess what? The show isn't for them! It's for the students and if they can't handle that, they should consider not going to the show. Also, when people bring small children, they probably don't understand half of what they hear. I mean, I can't remember anything really specific from my childhood. I can't even remember what I wore yesterday! Children have a very small attention span and I don't think they even absorb half of what is being said. Obviously the show shouldn't be mean or target any specific group of people, but the apparent inappropraiteness of it is what makes it so damn funny.
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