If you're going to start altering works of art based on people objecting to certain things, here's a tip: Better act on everybody's complaints, or you've got some explaining to do:
Black leaders charged Monday that a Far-Southside high school has a double standard when it comes to preserving the integrity of the script of a school musical.
Perry Township school officials have stood firm when it comes to keeping a racial slur in the script of "Ragtime," but have allowed references to masturbation and swearing in God's name to be removed.
Black leaders say the complaints about the sexual and religious references were from white parents, but their objections to a racial slur used seven times are being ignored.
A public high school does have some responsibility in what plays are chosen, taking into account such factors as what is appropriate for a student production and what parents are willing to accept. But once a play is chosen, leave it alone. Otherwise, we have the silly spectacle of school officials substituting their judgment for that of the author on what is "more integral" to the play. If you were to teach "Huckleberry Finn," you'd have to put up with people objecting to the N-word (as, indeed, some groups have). But you either teach it, defending the use of the word as necessary for historical context, or you leave it off the curriculum. Teaching the book with all the racial references eliminated would strip it of much of its meaning.
