An
elementary-school event in which kids were encouraged to
dress as members of the opposite gender drew the ire
of a Christian radio group, whose angry broadcast
prompted outraged calls to the district office.
Students at
Pineview Elementary in Reedsburg, Wis., had been
dressing in costume all last week as part of an annual
school tradition called Wacky Week. On Friday,
students were encouraged to dress either as senior
citizens or as members of the opposite sex.
A local resident
informed the Voice of Christian Youth America on Friday.
The Milwaukee-based radio network responded by interrupting
its morning programming for a special broadcast that
aired on nine radio stations throughout Wisconsin. The
broadcast criticized the dress-up day and accused the
district of promoting alternative lifestyles.
''We believe it's
the wrong message to send to elementary students,''
said Jim Schneider, the network's program director. ''Our
station is one that promotes traditional family
values. It concerns us when a school district strikes
at the heart and core of the biblical values. To promote
this to elementary-school students is a great error.''
Schneider cohosts
Crosstalk, a nationally syndicated call-in
Christian radio show.
After the program
aired, both the school and Reedsburg School District
office were flooded with calls complaining about the event.
The response
surprised Principal Tammy Hayes, who said no one had raised
any objections beforehand. She said a flier detailing Wacky
Week had been sent home with children the prior week,
and an announcement was also included in teacher
newsletters.
The dress-up day
was not an attempt to promote cross-dressing,
homosexuality, or alternative gender roles, district
administrator Tom Benson said.
''The promotion
of transgenderism -- that was not our purpose,'' Benson
told the Baraboo News Republic. ''Our purpose was to
have a Wacky Week, mixing in a bit of silliness with
our reading, writing, and arithmetic.''
The theme for
Friday's dress-up day came from students, Hayes said.
''It's different
every year. They basically present the ideas, and they
vote on what they would like from Monday through Friday,''
Hayes said. ''They did not mean anything by this day.
They were trying to have fun and come up with a fun
dress-up day.''
About 40% of the
student body dressed up Friday, Hayes estimated, with
half portraying senior citizens and half dressing as the
opposite sex.
''I can assure
you we will not be having this day [again],'' Hayes said.
Reedsburg is in
southern Wisconsin, about 60 miles northwest of
Madison. (AP)
