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Renowned author Maulik Pancholy had plans to address middle school students, however,…
The Mountain View Middle School in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, recently made headlines as the school board unanimously decided to cancel actor Maulik Pancholy’s planned anti-bullying presentation for middle school students. The reason cited was Pancholy’s gay identity and lifestyle. In response, some members of the community are advocating for the board to reverse its decision.
Pancholy, a renowned gay Indian-American comedic actor and author, gained acclaim for his 2022 book “Nikhil Out Loud,” which addresses combating homophobic bullying. His book received the 2023 Lambda Literary Award for Middle Grade Literature. Scheduled to speak at Mountain View Middle School, Pancholy, also known for his advocacy work, including serving on President Barack Obama’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, is recognized for his public engagements on topics like diversity and inclusion.
However, during an April 15 public meeting of the Cumberland Valley School District’s school board, board member Bud Shaffner expressed opposition to Pancholy’s talk, arguing, “If you research this individual, he labels himself as an activist, he is proud of his lifestyle and I don’t think that should be imposed upon our students at any age.”
Another member of the board, Kelly Potteiger, who is affiliated with the local chapter of the right-wing activist group Moms for Liberty, echoed Shaffner’s concerns. She expressed apprehension that Pancholy might discuss his 2019 children’s book, “The Best at It,” which features a gay, Indian-American child. “It’s not discriminating against his lifestyle — that’s his choice,” Potteiger remarked while elucidating her stance against Pancholy. “It’s him speaking about it [that’s the problem].”
Shaffner shared with NBC News his concern that the actor might veer off-topic and delve into politics. “Politically motivated discussions belong at home and not in the classroom,” Shaffner emphasized. “A number of board members went to his website and what stuck out to all of us is that he’s a political activist.”
Following these objections, the school board voted 8-0 to cancel Pancholy’s talk. Notably, discussion of the talk wasn’t an official part of the board’s stated meeting agenda, depriving community members of the opportunity to comment on the matter beforehand.
In an open letter directed to Shaffner, 40-year-old community member Tony Conte disclosed feeling “desperately lonely” as a closeted, bullied student in middle and high school. He recounted the tragic suicide of one of his similarly bullied classmates. “I think that if I had heard from diverse voices like [Pancholy’s] in an auditorium setting telling me that it was okay to be different maybe my middle and high school experience could have been different,” Conte wrote. “A presentation of this sort could have saved a life, like the life of my friend.”
Conte questioned Shaffner and the board’s decision by drawing a parallel with hypothetical presentations by CEOs of major companies who happen to be gay. “If the CEO of Apple, the CEO of Dow, the CEO of Macy’s, or the CEO of Land O’Lakes wanted to host a presentation for middle school students in the [Cumberland Valley] district about treating each other with kindness and respect, would you also cancel their presentations because all of those high performing professionals are gay and proud of the lifestyle they lead?” Conte asked, urging Shaffner and the board to reconsider their stance.
Community member Trisha Comstock, a parent with two children in the school district, initiated a Change.org petition urging the board to reverse its decision. “Being LGBTQ+ isn’t a dirty little secret to protect our students from. To have someone with Maulik’s life experiences would have been inspirational for our students,” Comstock stated. “The cancellation of this assembly sends a harmful message to our students – that being different is something to be ashamed of or hidden away. We must challenge this narrative.”
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