The piece, “A Mother of a Revolution,” was removed from the Watertown school concert lineup after board members said it celebrated violence. In a statement, the board said, “The board decided to remove the song from the concert due to its celebration of violence. The Watertown School Board remains committed to providing academic education free from indoctrination.” The instrumental work by composer Omar Thomas honors trans activist Marsha P. Johnson, who is widely recognized as a key figure in the 1969 Stonewall uprising that helped spark the modern LGBTQ rights movement.
Junior trumpet player Clayton Fliess said students had spent months preparing the piece, and it’s upsetting that it is now banned.
In response, Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church quickly organized an independent concert, where students and community members performed the piece before hundreds of attendees. Church leaders said no school instruments or staff were involved. Junior trumpet player Thomas also attended the concert. The event was livestreamed, drawing viewers from at least 27 states and three countries.
