Chicago Tribune

Balancing Act: A gay character on PBS kids' show 'Arthur' barely raised an eyebrow this week. A few years ago was a very different story

Sometimes you can measure progress by what didn't happen.

When Season 22 of the PBS cartoon "Arthur" kicked off with a same-sex wedding for Arthur's teacher, Mr. Ratburn, the secretary of education didn't send PBS a letter outlining her "strong and very serious concerns."

"Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone," in which Arthur and his friends attend their beloved teacher's nuptials, first aired Monday. The students remark upon the wedding cake, their teacher's dance moves

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