LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. – Officials reneged on a plan to allow MTV (search) to film a reality show at an Orange County high school, citing the network's Super Bowl halftime show that ended with pop singer Janet Jackson (search) exposing her breast.
Laguna Beach Unified School District board members, faced with opposition from angry parents, voted unanimously Wednesday to forbid the network to chronicle the lives of students at Laguna Beach High School (search).
Board members had approved the deal last week and shooting began off school grounds on Tuesday. Depending on the number of episodes aired, the district was to make $12,000 to $40,000, plus royalties, for college scholarships.
Board members said they made the shift after the MTV-produced Super Bowl halftime (search) performance when Justin Timberlake (search) ripped off part of Jackson's costume, revealing her right breast.
"The tenor of the landscape has changed in light of the events during the Super Bowl," said school board member Bob Whalen. "It has put us in a difficult position with the production in our community."
Parents, some of whom were uncomfortable with students auditioning for MTV even before the halftime show, attended Wednesday's special meeting and angrily demanded the district scrap the deal.
Board members worried the deal would not allow the district to protect students.
"Last week it didn't seem like the contract was counter to the district's mission, which is the education of the students," board member Kathryn Turner said. "This week it does."
MTV spokeswoman Janet Hill said in a prepared statement that the network regretted the board's decision. She said producers will discuss whether to continue with the program by filming the students off school grounds.
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