Wisconsin high school closes out its Fine Arts Week with a drag performance by its very own French teacher



Middleton High School closed out its Fine Arts Week by featuring its French teacher in a drag show, Empower Wisconsin has reported.

What are the details?

Matthew Kashdan, the school's French teacher, "strutted onto the auditorium stage in a high-cut, blue sequinned dress, red boots and blond wig, lip-syncing and dancing to 'Rain on Me' by pop divas Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande," the outlet reported Tuesday. "It was a surprise to the assembled students."

Shannan Valladolid, the district's director of information and public relations, told Empower Wisconsin that Fine Arts Week is chock-full of "performances that are enjoyed by students and staff alike."

"Performances range from music to dance to martial arts, culinary arts, visual arts, language arts, and other arts that fit our extensive definition of The Arts," Valladolid added.

What else?

At least one parent was furious over the performance and told conservative radio host Vicki McKenna that she is aghast that there are school professionals who would "destroy [students'] innocence for their own pleasure."

"I send my children to school and entrust them to teachers that I have to believe are professionals who won’t destroy their innocence for their own pleasure," the unnamed parent complained. "If MATTHEW KASHDAN makes a decision to perform his drag show at school, what else does he do in his classroom with a roomful of children? What kind of educators thought this was appropriate? Drag shows are 'fine arts?' If a teacher is a pole dancer or stripper, can they also perform for my children? ... I don’t care what MATTHEW KASHDAN does outside of school. I DO CARE what he does at Middleton High School."

Valladolid added that as of Tuesday morning, one parent reached out to complain about the performance.

"The school is reviewing protocols and processes going forward to make sure all perspectives are considered," she said, noting that parent permission to attend the events has never been a component to the popular annual week.