In the show Kurt Hummel gets�bullied by�other�students because of his�sexuality. Picture: Channel 10 Source: Supplied
Where's Kurt? Actor Chris Colfer from Glee. Picture: Channel 10 Source: The Daily Telegraph
- School puts on Glee tribute musical
- Show doesn't�include gay teen character
- "We're not homophobic, we just forgot"
A HIGH school has been accused of homophobia after leaving a key gay character out of its Glee tribute musical.
Leeton High School, in Leeton, NSW, copped criticism after it emerged that its musical would not include one of the TV show's lead characters, openly gay teen Kurt Hummel.
Theories sprung up as to why the character, played by Chris Colfer in the TV show, was omitted. Some suggested it was because a student playing a gay character could be harassed by other children at the school.
Others said Kurt was left out simply because none of the students who auditioned were suitable for the role, which requires a soprano voice.
NSW Education Department spokesman Grant Hatch denied it was because Kurt was openly gay.
"Not all characters from the television show were written into the school's musical, but there was no conscious thought by the authors about which names or characters to exclude," he said.
"Rehearsal had progressed for a considerable time with the students before anyone involved realised that Kurt was one of the names from the show that had not been used."
"We left out other minority groups"
The department said its anti-discrimination policy extended to drama productions and it "would not accept dropping a character from a script because of sexual preference".
The school's website promotes the show, Don't Stop Believing,�as having a plotline "based on the typical teenage issues of popularity and peer pressure, love and the age old battle between sport and music".
More than 100 students will be involved in the production, with 13 of Glee's main characters portrayed.
Mr Hatch said other minority groups represented in the original show had also been left out.
"Even when the same (character) name is used, not all characteristics are transplanted," he said.
"For instance, no Asian, Afro-American, Jewish, obese, anorexic or wheelchair-bound students appear even though they are prominent in the television show."
Glee's official website describes Kurt as a "fashion-forward soprano" targeted by school bullies, who develops a crush on the high school quarterback and markets his own fragrance.
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