“SB Strong” Production Stops After Victims' Families Complain

SAN BERNARDINO >> A devised theatrical production by San Bernardino Valley College's theatre arts department called "SB Strong" has been put to a stop in an effort to be more sensitive to families and friends still grieving from the Dec. 2 terrorist attack. When the announcement was made that the department would be holding upcoming auditions for the production, families of the victims complained to the school. After hearing their complaints, SBVC President Diana Z. Rodriguez sent out an official letter apologizing and reassuring the San Bernardino County the production would be put on hold. "On behalf of the administration and faculty of San Bernardino Valley College, please accept our deepest apologies for any pain or hurt we may have caused during the planning stages of launching a fall production called 'SB Strong,'" Rodriquez said in the letter. "Our faculty are very sympathetic to the sensitive nature of their work and are considering a new theme for our fall production. We will not be doing 'SB Strong'." Rodriguez continues to say if a project like "SB Strong" is considered in the future, the college will seek wider community input to ensure there is not any misrepresentation or dishonor to the lives that were taken or injured during the attack. "Although we encourage originality on the part of our faculty and cannot censor their academic work, we also highly value the community's input unto the work we do," she said in the letter. "We strive to be an institution that excels in bridging cultural gaps and providing improved access to rewarding careers and professional opportunities. We would never seek to exacerbate the profound grief with which our community still lives."