Disney Apologizes After Payment Demand For PTA Fundraiser Showing

BERKELEY, CA — Disney CEO Bob Iger tweeted an apology to Emerson Elementary School in Berkeley on Thursday. The tweet read, "@RobertIger, Feb 6, Our company @WaltDisneyCo apologizes to the Emerson Elementary School PTA and I will personally donate to their fund raising initiative."

The apology was prompted by an online backlash against the company after reports that Disney's licensing agent ordered the school's PTA to pay $250 for showing "The Lion King" during a fundraiser in November.

PTA president David Rose told CNN that it was an honest mistake, "One of the dads bought the movie at Best Buy. He owned it. We literally had no idea we were breaking any rules.”

Movie Licensing USA told the school in an email that any time a movie is shown outside of the home, legal permission is needed to show it. So the PTA started scrambling to come up with the $250.

That infuriated Emerson parent and city council member Lori Droste. She complained bitterly about "an incredibly wealthy corporation" going after a PTA that's raising money to improve the education of children.

The PTA fundraising event in November raised $800. There's no word yet on the size of Iger's contribution.

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