MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Note: The video is from April 25.
The director of the Cumberland Valley School Board announced his resignation in the wake of the Board's vote to reverse its decision banning an anti-bullying assembly featuring actor Maulik Pancholy.
In a letter to the school board announcing his resignation this week, director Brian T. Drapp said he voted twice against allowing the assembly to go on, accusing Pancholy of political activism and "supporting violent protests," both of which he said "are not aligned with (the school district's) mission statement."
The CV School Board voted 8-0 in April to cancel the assembly, which is scheduled for May 22 at Mountain View Middle School. Pancholy is an actor and author who appeared in the NBC series "30 Rock."
Pancholy, who has written several children's books, is a self-described "activist" who often speaks out against bullying.
CV School Board members initially said that allowing Pancholy, who is gay, to speak at an assembly would creep into what they deemed “political” territory, going against a previously instated policy that bars political events from Cumberland Valley schools.
The Board's decision became a part of the national news cycle and sparked backlash from some students, parents and members of the school district's administration, who said the decision sent a hurtful message to all students, including those who are members of the LGBTQ+ community.
At a special meeting held on April 25, several members of the community spoke out against the decision before the Board voted 5-4 to reverse its position and allow the assembly to go on.
In his resignation letter, Drapp accused members of the audience of disrupting the meeting, acting disrespectfully, silencing differing points of view, and "ignoring rules and common decency norms," all of which he said did not follow the Board's mission to "provide an effective communication system that serves the entire Cumberland Valley community."
Drapp said his resignation is effective immediately.