I was teaching freshman English at a large private Christian school on the Northside of Indy in the early 2000s.
It was my first real teaching job and my first time teaching Shakespeare. The curriculum dictated Romeo and Juliet but the day to day approach was up to me.
After discussing a bit of historical background with the students for context, I was ready to launch into the first scene: The big street fight between servants from the houses of the Montagues and the Capulets.
Now it's always been my contention in school that Shakespeare should be performed and watched - not read. So I decided to hand a few of the students some scripts and have them come up front and wrestle a bit with how to block the action and what emotions to inject into their lines.
If you recall the scene, a few minutes into the tensions between the rival servants, Lord and Lady Capulet come wandering down the street.
Lord Capulet immediately senses the conflict at hand and, wishing to join in to defend his house's honor, he exclaims, "Give me my long sword, ho!"
As a green teacher, I did not anticipate 5 out of my 6 young "Lord Capulets" throughout the day would choose to direct that line to Lady Capulet ... with an emphasis on the "HO"!
It was a show stopper each time.
That evening I got a phone call from an angry father. I braced myself for the task of explaining how I could have possibly allowed the students to turn an innocent line of dialogue into sexual innuendo for a cheap laugh.
Instead, he upbraided me for choosing a play with such offensive language in it! And at a Christian school to boot! He was planning to report my choice of literature to the school's principal!
Christians - like other people - don't think critically when they get riled up!
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