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Superintendent defends choice of high‑school play as residents and students debate 26 Pebbles
Summary
Bettendorf students, parents and community members clashed at the school board meeting over the high school’s choice to stage the play 26 Pebbles. Superintendent said the play focuses on community resilience and that counseling supports will be available; students involved said the production avoids depicting the shootings and centers on healing.
Community members, students and the superintendent debated the Bettendorf High School production of 26 Pebbles at the Sept. 11 school board meeting, with both supporters and opponents speaking during public comment.
The superintendent described the play as a documentary‑style script constructed from interviews and asserted it “is not a graphic or sensationalized depiction of violence” but instead focuses on “the community’s resilience, grief, healing, and the ways people come together to move forward.” He said educators chose the play for its educational value and that counselors and mental‑health staff would be available to students. Families will receive information so they can make “informed decisions about attendance,” he said.
Students participating in the production spoke at the meeting as well. Luna, the assistant director of the fall play, told the board she had read the script and said, “in no way does the play depict the shooting itself. There’s gonna be no stage, like, violence or reenactment.” Senior cast member Giselle Poole said the play offers a space to tell survivors’ stories and to press the community to “do better,” adding the script is mainly about grief and healing.
Several speakers opposed the production. Melissa Zundone, a resident, urged the board to avoid what she said was labeling and asked that schools not “categorize students” in a way she found objectionable; her remarks also criticized Gay‑Straight Alliance clubs (a separate topic raised during public comment). Cindy Derricks, another resident, said the play “glorifies” the attacker and worried about students repeatedly rehearsing traumatic material. Melissa Hayes, a parent, read social‑media posts by the playwright that she said showed partisan statements and argued those posts and parts of the script were reason to reconsider the selection.
Kurt Whelan, speaking on behalf of the Scott County Republican Party, said he had watched the play and objected to what he described as “empathy” toward the shooter in parts of the script; he asked the district to choose a different production.
Board and administrative response: The superintendent said the district would provide context in class, mental‑health support for students, and information for families. He noted the play has been produced widely in high schools since 2017 and said the district’s approach is to use the script to foster dialogue rather than sensationalize tragic events.
Ending: The board heard public comment from both sides and did not announce a change to the production during the meeting. Administration said supports and family notifications would be available while the play proceeds as scheduled.
