The Academy Award-winning producer of “Schindler’s List,” who was blocked from delivering a speech to the graduating class in Ronan, Montana, was able to share his thoughts with a room full of conservatives in Kalispell. Gerald Molen spoke to the Glacier Country Pachyderm Club about a film he is creating with conservative writer Dinesh D’Souza.
UPDATED
More to follow, but, I did just get off the phone with the Ronan Schools Superintendent who confirmed that Ronan Principal Tom Stack will now be “moving on.” This, as the principal is now making national headlines for allegedly censoring an Oscar-winning speaker for being a “right-wing conservative.”
Superintendent Andy Holmund says he didn’t make the decision, nor was the district office involved in the decision at all.
The call was made by Principal Tom Stack. Nonetheless, the Superintendent had strong words for what he considers a bad decision by Stack. Holmund told me Friday morning, “It’s regrettable, we don’t treat people this way. I don’t think it was appropriate. I have conveyed my condolences through the individual who invited Mr. Molen.”
Holmund added, “Mr. Stack is no longer going to be engaged in School District number 30. He is moving on. We are going to rekindle the efforts and the good works that our done in this district. This one incident does not clarify what happens in my school district.”
Holmund says Principal Stack had already made the decision to move on and be superintendent of schools in another district in Clinton, Montana. He believes Stack was already set to take the job in Clinton before this controversy started. Stack will continue as principal for a couple more weeks and complete his contract.
ORIGINAL POST
The producer of the film “Schindler’s List” was blocked from delivering a speech to the graduating class by the high school principal in Ronan, Montana. All this, after he says he had already made the drive from Bigfork for the speech.
The Hollywood Reporter has the story, here’s an excerpt:
A controversy erupted in a small Montana town after a high school principal prevented Oscar winner Gerald Molen from delivering his planned speech because he’s “a right-wing conservative.”
Gerald Molen won a best picture Oscar for co-producing Schindler’s List with Steven Spielberg and has produced such Hollywood blockbusters as the first two Jurassic Park films and Twister. He’s a former U.S. Marine and is a sought-after motivational speaker.
Molen says that Stack told him straight up that he wouldn’t be allowed to address the students because he was “a right-wing conservative.”
Click here to read the full story. Expect this one to go national.
(*Note- my initial post has been changed to say “a speech to the graduating class” rather than a “graduation speech.”)