A Wisconsin community is rallying around a high school band after school officials barred students from performing a song tied to LGBTQ+ history.
The Watertown School Board in Watertown, Wisconsin voted 7-1 to remove ‘A Mother of A Revolution!’ from a recent spring performance, alleging that the piece violated the school district’s anti-”controversial issues” policy.
The song, which has no lyrics, was composed by Omar Thomas in 2019 and is a celebration of Marsha P. Johnson, a transgender woman who helped lead the Stonewall riots in 1969 in protest of police harassment of the LGBTQ+ community. The riots are widely viewed as the catalyst for the modern gay rights movement.
Now, the controversy has exploded far beyond the concert hall - and as residents rally around the students, the school board is doubling down.
The Cancellation Controversy
Back in October, Watertown Band Director Reid LaDew - in accordance with district policy - informed parents their kids would be performing ‘A Mother of a Revolution!’, which caused little pushback at the time. Only one family objected, and the school board okayed the performance.
“The purpose behind studying ‘Mother of a Revolution’ is not to provoke controversy, but to deepen students’ understanding of how music reflects the diverse experiences of humanity,” read the note from LaDew. “Engaging with this piece helps foster empathy, cultural awareness, and respect for the stories and struggles that shape our shared history.”
Practice for the performance proceeded as planned, but just one week before the spring concert, when the Watertown School Board suddenly reversed course and voted 7-1 to remove the song, alleging it is too controversial.
Community Fights Back
That decision prompted mass backlash in the community, as hundreds took to the streets in support of the students who’ve suddenly found themselves at the center of a nationwide debate. "Frankly, the kids are scared," said Wendy Pliska, whose son is in the band. "They wanted to come and play the piece that they practiced so hard, and now, not only has that been taken from them, but they're thrust into the spotlight."
Nearly 800 community members sent a letter to the school board urging them to reverse their decision, and the school saw organized walkouts of students and staff in protest.
But even as outrage in the town reached a fever pitch, the school board refused to back down. "The lesson was intended to persuade students toward emotional alignment with the events of the Stonewall riot,” said Board President Laurie Hoffman, who proceeded to call the song a “celebration of violence” in a public statement.
Few in the community are buying what they’re selling. As one local pastor put it, “the existence of a certain kind of people should not be controversial.”
The Show Must Go On
The spring concert proceeded as planned without the song on May 18, with many community members showing up regardless to show their support of the students.
And yet, the controversy in Watertown reflects a growing trend playing out in school districts across the country, where debates over LGBTQ+ topics, education, and “controversial issues” policies are increasingly spilling out of board meetings and into the broader community. In this case, a disagreement over a single instrumental performance became a national debate over inclusion, censorship, and whether certain histories are now considered too political for the classroom.
What is your response? Was the school board acting with cowardice or conviction?
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