Facebook complaint cancels 3d-grade show

A Maple Shade elementary school has canceled a third-grade fashion show that was to conclude a unit on women's history after one parent protested that her son would be forced to dress in female clothing.

Tonya Uibel sent a notice home with her pupils at Maude Wilkins School announcing that students would participate in the show to study how women's clothing has changed over time. "If your child is a young man, he does not have to wear a dress or skirt, as there are many time periods where women wore jeans, pants and trousers," it read. "However, each child must be able to express what time period their outfit is from."

Janine Giandomenico, whose son is in Uibel's class, posted a complaint on Facebook that attracted national attention and led one blogger to suggest the event was a part of the "gay agenda."

The misunderstanding led principal Beth Norcia to cancel the event Monday. "In hindsight," Superintendent Michael Livengood said Wednesday, "maybe a different activity could have been chosen that was a little bit more relevant to history." - AP