BEAUMONT - KFDM News -A Beaumont high school seems to have taken sides in the upcoming presidential election at a weekend football game and local Republican party officials are crying foul.
During Saturday's game against Little Cypress Mauriceville, Central High School's marching band presented a skit in which students were dressed as Barack Obama, Mitt Romney and the Big Bird character from the tv show Sesame Street. In the skit, Big Bird punched Mitt Romney in the face, presumably because the candidate has said if he is elected as president he will discontinue government support of the PBS television network, leaving it to compete just like the other networks have to do. Romney says the public should not have to pay for PBS, especially when the country is experiencing tough economic times.
Texassportscenter.com provided the video to KFDM.
KFDM contacted Billy Oliver, Chairman of the Jefferson County Republican Party for comment. He released a statement saying :
"While there are very serious issues facing our nation, sideshows like the Central High band skit depicting Big Bird physically beating Mitt Romney demonstrates an appalling lack of civility, political maturity, and a gross display of institutional arrogance on the part of a taxing entity."
He goes on to say...
"BISD and Central High School owes its students, parents and taxpayers an apology."
KFDM also contacted BISD officials who released the following statement:
"Administrators with BISD will conduct a review of the appropriateness of Central High School band's half time performance at Saturday's football game that featured political satire."
The Central High School marching band performance has drawn many comments from our viewers on our KFDM News Facebook page.
One viewer writes, "As a teacher we are unable to show or display our political views. How can this be ok? This not only sides with Obama but it also shows violence towards another person. Very sad that this is ok with BISD."
Another viewer says, "It's amazing how people take something so small and make it out to be a real big issue. I saw the performance and I didn't see anything wrong with it."
And another writes, "It's not that the kids should not have an opinion. It's that there is a time and a place for everything and that was not the time nor the place...I am for Obama but that kind of show is just wrong."
Video courtesy TexasSportsCenter.com
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