CONNECTICUT SCHOOLS CANCEL PALI DANCE TROUPE PERFORMANCES

Connecticut Schools Cancel Palestinian Dance Troupe Performances (Hartford Courant)
After receiving a complaint that a Palestinian dance troupe's performance at the high school was offensive to Jews and Israel, school officials canceled scheduled appearances by the Al-Ghad Folklore Dancing Troupe of Beit Sahour this week at Old Saybrook's elementary and middle schools. Resident Ginger Horton said she felt compelled to complain to school officials after the troupe's performance at the high school Monday. "[My] grandchildren came home very frightened," Horton said Thursday. They told her the performance depicted Israeli soldiers beating and torturing Palestinians.

Bob Fishman, executive director of the Jewish Federation Association of Connecticut, said public schools should not host groups with a perceived political agenda. He lauded upset local students and family members who "stepped up." "It was a very disturbing report [Horton] got from her grandchildren," Fishman said. "I advised her that it's not appropriate for a sponsor to say it's cultural when it's primarily political."