Texas School District Axes ‘The Laramie Project,’ Play About Hate-Crime Victim Matthew Shepard

A Texas school district has cancelled a planned production of The Laramie Project, a play about the reaction to the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, who was viciously killed because he was gay. The Dallas Morning News reports that Timber Creek High School parents were not given an explanation when they were informed the show would not happen this spring. “We understand that it is unusual for a production change like this to take place. Students will still have an opportunity to read, discuss, and analyze the play during the school day,” the email read. However, the paper pointed out that Keller Independent School District, which includes Timber Creek, has adopted policies barring teachers from using transgender students’ preferred pronouns and banning books that mention gender fluidity. A spokesman for the district said The Laramie Project will likely be replaced by a show along the lines of Mary Poppins or White Christmas. Shepard’s mother, Judy, told the Morning News she was disappointed. “My heart is broken when people still refuse to see how important this work is,” she said.