Principal Overruled; ‘Children’s Hour’ Performance OKd

Drama students at Monroe High School in Sepulveda will give nighttime performances of the play “The Children’s Hour” over the objections of Principal John Anderson, who thought the work’s subject matter too controversial for public presentation.

Anderson last week was overruled by Sidney Thompson, Los Angeles Unified School District deputy superintendent for operations.

The principal had said he would approve daytime shows in a classroom setting, but that he would not approve public evening performances of the 1934 Lillian Hellman play, which deals with accusations of lesbianism.

“The issue of lesbianism or homosexuality of public school teachers is an explosive issue,” Anderson said.

“It’s a question of what does the community want to see. If we’re trying to bring them into the school and give them a positive image and get them to support the school, is that the most positive presentation?”

In the play, two boarding-school teachers who are close friends are accused of being involved in a lesbian relationship. The accusations eventually lead one of the teachers to wonder about her sexual preference.

Drama teacher David Wright disagrees that homosexuality is the play’s main theme.

“Hellman leaves it up to directorial interpretation, and I don’t think it’s clear that this person is gay,” Wright said. “But that’s not even the issue. . . . It’s about lying and the damage lying can do.”

Anderson said he received about 30 phone calls from parents who were “evenly split” about whether the play should be performed.

Thompson directed Anderson to allow the play to be presented at night when he learned of the reasons for the principal’s objections.

“When we saw that the reason for not having it at night was because of the topic, that was a problem,” Thompson said.

“The topic . . . is certainly appropriate for high school students to handle,” he said.

The students plan to present the play in mid-March, although no firm date has been selected, Wright said.