A Madison high school is inviting further controversy and scrutiny of Wisconsin’s education system after it announced a drag show set to take place at the school this Thursday.
The event, which Madison East High School is hosting, requires an ID for entry, leading some to speculate that it is age-restricted despite students performing.
The drag show was advertised by the High School on Facebook, drawing mixed reactions from the community, with some residents calling it ‘disgusting’ and an ‘abomination’, while one resident indicated they may attend.
The event also drew the ire of Wisconsin residents outside of the Madison area, with one conservative radio host questioning the drag show’s legality and questioning why underage students would perform in a “sexually charged show”.
Other prominent Wisconsinites weighed in on the controversy as well, with Representative Tom Tiffany, R-Wi. who is running for Governor of Wisconsin, calling the event “indoctrination”.
“Public schools have no business hosting drag shows, and featuring minors makes it completely unacceptable,” he said. (RELATED: New Richmond High School’s Bathroom Policy Sparks Backlash as Principal Cites “State and Federal Law”)
This is not the first time that the event has sown discord in Wisconsin, with the show drawing condemnations from figures such as former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker in 2023, who called it a “strip show”.
The drag show has invited further scrutiny on the state’s public schools during a time where the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction is already under fire for an alleged misuse of public funds.
Last week, it was revealed that the DPI spent $369,000 to host a lavish getaway at a water park and resort in Wisconsin, and only turned over records related to the massive expense when it was requested by a local media outlet.
The scandal has resulted in the Wisconsin legislature delaying further funding to the agency as the expense is investigated. (RELATED: TrumpRx Launch: How the New Website Slashes Prescription Drug Costs)
