Lakeland superintendent apologizes after transgender actor visits school
RATHDRUM — A recent drama residency from the Missoula Children's Theatre prompted Lakeland Joint School District to apologize last week after some audience members complained that a staff member was transgender.
"This event was not intentional on our part and has been identified as a weakness of vetting guest speakers or school assembly groups who are coming to our schools. I have already talked to the board about this. We love our students and never want to put them in uncomfortable or unsafe situations. Please accept my apologies," wrote Lisa Arnold, school superintendent, on a social media post addressing the issue.
The weeklong theater program culminated with Athol Elementary students performing "Treasure Island." Arnold noted "the kids who actually participated in the play had a great experience and the parents were very happy with everything," but some audience members complained.
“We just had some parents that were frustrated they didn’t have all the information to make an informed decision,” Arnold said in a phone interview.
The district's social media post alluded to forthcoming changes in its vetting procedures, but Arnold later said nothing would change, "We can't ask those things. That's illegal."
MCT executive director Mike Morelli expressed surprise after seeing the post last Monday and said the district did not contact him after the residency had concluded.
“Our two actors felt like the residency went very well,” Morelli said in a phone interview. The theater company has been visiting Lakeland schools for 20 years.
Arnold said the district is navigating things it has never experienced before, such as parents posting photos of theater staff and students on social media after the show.
“There are a lot of laws that direct how we have to navigate this and try to figure it all out because you can’t just trample all over people's rights,” Arnold said.
Arnold said she hadn’t reached out to MCT and had no plans to after parents in the audience approached her with their concerns.
“It’s not their problem, so we didn’t need to let them know that,” Arnold said. “Parents really want to control the narrative with their kids about certain social issues.”
The mission of the theater group is to empower children and adults through theater education and performance, Morelli said. “We include everyone, and we prohibit any kind of unlawful harassment to our employees due to their identities. There is a reality that our employees are expected to do their jobs, and we ask that people not be harassed."
Arnold