Students and parents are upset after a Grandfield Oklahoma teacher is suspended with pay because of a play. Jason Calder has more.

Debra Taylor was suspended for a class production of "The Laramie Project" as part of the ethics and street law class at the high school. It's a play about a Wyoming community and the turmoil surrounding the murder of a college student who lived an alternative lifestyle.

Grandfield I.S.D. Superintendent Ed Turlington said, "We'll have school board hearing next week. Right now it's a temporary suspension with pay."

That's about all Superintendent Ed Turlington will say about the suspension of Debra Taylor.

But students.

Freshman Marissa McGuire said, "I hope they let her come back and teach us."

And parents are speaking out.

Parent Elizabeth Squires said, "There's not many teachers out there who actually care about our kids."

It all stems from a school play Taylor's students were performing about "The Laramie Project." The play was focusing on the hate crime that led to the murder of a gay student.

The students say word quickly spread that the play about gay rights and not hate crimes and that's when the production was pulled.   

Junior Joshua Robles said, "When hate crimes happen, of course it's always about hate, and she's trying to keep it from happening here."

Sophomore Amber Squires said, "We were talking about hate crimes. That's what our ethics class goes over. We talk about stem cell things, we talk about abortion. When we did something about abortion the school didn't say anything about it."

Elizabeth Squires said she thought about homeschooling her daughter after hearing about the suspension.

She said, "I think it was very important because for them to go out into the real world later they'll need to know that everybody is different and unique."

Now it's up to the school board to decide Taylor's fate.
   
Amber said, "They say it's for our education, for what's best for us. Well if they knew what was best for us, they would keep Miss Taylor."

The Grandfield School Board meeting is scheduled to take place next week.