N.J. education chief orders review after Burlington school children learn song about Obama

[WriteDown]

Source: AP

BURLINGTON TOWNSHIP -- New Jersey's education commissioner ordered a review after a YouTube video shows school children learning a song celebrating President Barack Obama.

The video shows more than a dozen youngsters at B. Bernice Young Elementary School in Burlington Township. The district said the students were participating in Black History Month in February.

Education Department spokeswoman Kathryn Forsyth said the commissioner has directed the school superintendent to review what happened. Forsyth said the commissioner wants to ensure that students can celebrate Black History Month without "inappropriate partisan politics in the classroom."

Forsyth also said the teacher who directed the song and is not shown in the video retired at the end of the school year.....

Read more: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/09/nj_education_commissioner_orde.html

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Good that they are reviewing this. There probably need to be some mea culpas after the original story yesterday.

[hlthe2b]

1. So, you agree with the RW that this is an "outrage?"

I'm confused. Who needs to present the mea culpas?

[WriteDown]

2. Its zealotry, but has little to do with Obama himself..

Just a misguided supporter.

I would say those spewing the venom here need to issue the mea culpas

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6620553

edited to add link

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. Singing a song about the president is misguided??

Huh?

[WriteDown]

7. Just replace....

Obama with Bush and you'll see how misguided it is.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

10. was bush a historic presidency? aren't straight white christians males

the typical president?

[WriteDown]

12. So you can only replace Jesus in a song..

with a black president? :shrug:

What about JFK? He was the first Catholic president. Seems like he should have been sung about in the schools.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

13. Is there catholic history month? If there were, I am sure someone would sing a song about JFK

I am not sure if substituting jesus for obama is the problem that is being brought up. it seems the problem that is being discussed, is why would kids sing about obama. to me, this is a huge victory for african americans and they have every right to celebrate this during black history month

[WriteDown]

16. Yep...

Its called the Christmas season.

A Kennedy this day is born
A Kennedy of high renown
Most worthy of a sceptre and a crown

Glad tidings to all men
Glad tidings sing we may
Because the king of kings.....

We don't have our kids sing songs praising political leaders for a reason. Especially, while they remain in office.

[proud2BlibKansan]

22. So every school in the country that holds a Black History program should cancel it?

Kids sing songs praising African Americans - some alive and in office - during Black History programs. I have taught for 30 years and to mainly African American kids and every school where I have taught has a Black History program in February. I seriously doubt they are willing to cancel their plans because some people believe it's wrong to praise leaders. I also suspect that songs and tributes to Obama will be a part of many of these programs across the country. Good luck with any plan to stop this tradition.

[WriteDown]

35. Wow, that's some strawman..

Almost a wicker man. Most would have the same problem with kids singing songs about Condoleeza Rice while she held a cabinet position. Although, fitting the name Condoleeza in a song would be interesting.

[brendan120678]

36. Condoleeza, as sung by Nat King Cole

Condoleezza, Condoleezza, men have named you
You're so like the lady with the mystic smile
Is it only cause you're lonely they have blamed you?
For that Condoleezzastrangeness in your smile?

Do you smile to tempt a lover, Condoleezza?
Or is this your way to hide a broken heart?
Many dreams have been brought to your doorstep
They just lie there and they die there
Are you warm, are you real, Condoleezza?
Or just a cold and lonely lovely work of art?

<instrumental interlude>

Do you smile to tempt a lover, Condoleezza?
Or is this your way to hide a broken heart?
Many dreams have been brought to your doorstep
They just lie there and they die there
Are you warm, are you real, Condoleezza?
Or just a cold and lonely lovely work of art?

[WriteDown]

37. Hahahah...

Oh man, that was great.

[brendan120678]

38. That one was easy. Give me a more challenging name next time. (nt)

[proud2BlibKansan]

41. Wait a minute. I thought we were discussing kids singing songs about leaders

Calling my post a strawman just weakens your argument.

[proud2BlibKansan]

20. No I don't see it. Sorry.

Are you saying it's inappropriate to teach our children about the president because he could be offensive to some people?

[T Wolf]

3. YEs. By all means, ignore the country's first black President during Black History Month.

That's learnin' them real good.

NJ ain't Texas, for christ's sake. Leave the dumbing down of students to the red states.

[WriteDown]

6. Nothing like replacing Jesus with the name of

a political leader in songs. :eyes:

[T Wolf]

15. Jesus has NO PLACE in schools in the first place. There is NOTHING wrong with what was done.

Weak-assed liberals who are afraid to exert influence are almost as destructive to progress as the enemies in the GOP.

[WriteDown]

17. Can you imagine this?

Amazing Bush, how sweet the man, who saved a wretch like me......

:shrug:

Not in the schools, sheesh.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Wait a minute. I thought this video was taken in June. IIRC the kids are wearing summer clothes

Black History Month is in February.

I'm also not clear on how a song about the sitting president is partisan politics.

[WriteDown]

8. That is an excellent point...

:shrug:

[La Lioness Priyanka]

9. while i dont think one should celebrate presidents in school, obama is diffferent

he is not just a president but also the first black president. this is not partisan as much as just a fact. we cant minimize this historic presidency and it is perfectly appropriate for Black History MOnth

If this were first gay president, we would expect some celebration during Gay Pride month

same with first woman president etc

(edited to add: haven't seen the video. just saying that one cannot exclude the president from black history month)

[AngryAmish]

42. I agree with you - Obama is different

As a creature of light, he teaches us to be better people. Wisdom and knowledge infuse every atom of his being. He cleanses us, he redeems us. Obama is different, and better, than us.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

43. umm no. he is just a symbol of a large civil rights battle. his victory is symbolic

and cant be discounted in some situations as just another president.

especially not, if this were during black history month

[rpannier]

11. If it is partisan in nature than it does need to be addressed

Otherwise it's an appropriate song

[Igel]

40. You mean that as long as we pull together to

worship the king, it's fine?

But if just one group sings Gaudeamus then it's wrong? Does it become better if there's balance, and one group sings laud and the other sings calumnies?

Let's wait until the joy of man's desiring has left his saintly throne before we have state schools start the worshipping. It's bad enough with Bush Intercontinental Airport, Reagan International Airport, etc., etc., etc. I, for one, don't like answering altar calls, even when they're secular in nature.

[Beacool]

14. The song was inappropriate.

I don't care who is the sitting president, children should not be asked to sing a song about the president.

All of you who think that it's OK would probably be upset if the song was about Reagan or Bush. Literally singing the praises of a politician should not be part of the class plan.

[WriteDown]

18. Its an easy concept to understand. nt

[Beacool]

19. Apparently, not around here.

Celebrating Black History Month is one thing. Teaching children songs of praise of a president, any president, is not appropriate.

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. There is the cutest little song about George Washington

and another about Abe Lincoln. It's been a few years but kdg and 1st graders sang these songs for years at school programs. And now you are saying this was wrong? Oh no, literally generations of our children have been taught idolatory! The horror!!!

[rpannier]

28. They're both out of office (and deceased)

Obama is a sitting president

It's not the same thing

[theblasmo]

33. Thank You

The controversy is not that Black History Month is something to do away with, nor is it the fact that the song was originally a spiritual. It's the replacement of Obama within the song, making it sound like a weird propaganda piece.

I'm sure this was probably done with good intentions, but simply comes out sounding like the school (through the teacher, although I'm sure it was simply that person's idea of a tribute) is telling people to support Obama -- not just The President. This seems similar to the person at the NEA who told artists to try to use their works to promote certain parts of the president's agenda -- which got that person immediately demoted once that got out and criticism started to build. Obviously, I want people to support the president, but this isn't the way to do it.

The big stupid here is the idea that this is controversial enough to warrant constant discussion other than the obvious point -- it was a single, isolated case, and not some sort of real propaganda attempt by a sitting government. It's simply being used by some members of the right as some sort of indication that Obama's administration or the people who support it are willing to use our schools to push their ideas and force support. It's not that at all, but these idiots who believe it are the same ones who think Obama's going to put people into camps or take all their guns away. There's no way to measure how many people have mental illness in this country, but it's easy to tell who some of them are: they believe this stuff (not to belittle mental illness, but most of these people seem like they have clinical paranoia).

And spiritual songs are sung in public schools without being as used as tools to spread religious belief all the time. You don't have kids sing these old songs for religious reasons, but for the music itself and its historical significance. If they were forced to sing contemporary Christian songs, then I'd have trouble. You can sing a Christmas song and not worship Jesus, just as much as you can sing "Swing Low" without being a Christian. This is not Jesus Camp, folks. I object to the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance because it makes the US seem like it's supposed to be a Christian nation, and was allowed to be placed there by Eisenhower as a means of "indoctrinating" children into Christianity. The historical significance argument does dry up with that one.

If we're going to make a big deal out of it, let's do so in a way that speaks to how these idiots will take any one thing that happens and try to make it seem like an epidemic. It only serves those who want to use these misguided individuals as political weapons for their own dreams of power, which makes them the most evil of all. Certainly, there are rational people who disagree with this administration, but they're not the ones we're discussing. It's those people who aren't educated enough to question things, or are mentally ill and can't, who are being used by these evil people like Beck and Limbaugh, who could really give two shits about them, but get off on the power trip. Nothing but evil. And this issue is nothing but a distraction that they are using to get people to do their dirty work and confirm their already screwed up ideas.

[oberliner]

46. Very well said

The argument should be that the RW is turning this into some kind of "proof" that Obama is "indoctrinating" children to worship him. The RW radio hosts are using this incident as "evidence" that Obama is behaving in a manner similar to Kim Jong Il and Hitler (No joke - that is the comparison they are using with this). That is the part of their argument that is ridiculous and hateful. The reality is that Obama had nothing to do with this and there is no sinister plot to brainwash children being orchestrated by the White House as these RW folks would have people believe.

[twitomy]

23. You would think so..

Replace Obama with Bush in those lyrics this place would yell bloody murder.

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. And I say this is being blown way out of proportion

Kids all over the country were asked by the White House to write letters after 9/11 thanking Bush for his leadership. Yet there was no outcry. Imagine that.

[monmouth]

21. Bussing children to listen to Bush in Texas is okay then I guess....sigh..n/t

[rpannier]

26. Listening to a President speak (any elected rep) is always acceptable

as it is a civics lesson

Singing about the how great a sitting president is, is not okay

[monmouth]

30. Delete..

[scarface2004]

27. all school children should be forced to pray to obama!!!

our new lord!!!

[msongs]

29. are these kids on youtube with parent consent??????????????? nt

[KyleA]

32. Inappropriate but not done out of bad intentions

It was done to show pride in Obama being the first Black President but came off as propoganda. Watch how fast this gets on Beck/Hannity/Limbaugh/Fox etc. It plays right into their slimey hands.

[jpak]

31. Did someone just eat a Billygoat?

yup

:thimbsdown:

[Alcibiades]

34. What about Bush and his "faith-based initiatives?"

He spent eight years promoting religion--especially evangelical Protestantism--from the White House. Doubleplus unconstitutional.

But there's a lot more outrage at a schoolteacher teaching some kids a silly song, outrage that mirrors that which accompanied the President's address to schoolchildren.

But I guess you were OK with this:

[southernyankeebelle]

39. Well I thought the song was cute, however, I do think parents should be

able to opt their child in or out. The teacher should have known better and so should the school. I wouldn't want my child used in any fashion as a back drop for any president even the ones that I like. I want separation of stuff like this. I sure don't want my child being force to sing a song to Bush unless I was asked and my child wanted to do it.

[joeycola]

45. sounds reasonable to me. I agree.

[Bill McBlueState]

44. Something kind of dumb happened in a school somewhere!

This hardly ever happens. I'm outraged.

[robo50]

47. Yeah and if we don't stop it now, all schools will do something dumb

next week, it's a conspiracy, I tell you, a conspiracy of dumb taking over the country.

Michelle Bachmann will be outraged that someone almost as dumb as her is letting a few kids sing about Michelle's nemesis.


This whole minor incident is such a non-issue.