FL Principal won't let 10-year-old sing Pink's "Dear Mr. President"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

A 10-year-old Coral Springs girl won't be allowed to sing a controversial President Bush-bashing ballad at her school talent show after her principal deemed it inappropriate and too political.

The song, Dear Mr. President, performed and co-written by the singer Pink, criticizes the president for the war in Iraq and other policies, including his stance on gay rights.

Parent Nancy Shoul says her daughter Molly should be lauded for choosing lyrics that are full of substance rather than pop music fluff. She said the principal's ban sends a bad message and violates her daughter's right to free speech.

"If this was a student singing a pro-administration song, no one would quibble with it," Shoul said. "The principal is just running scared and doesn't want to upset any parents."



Selection rejection: Molly Shoul, 10, of Coral Springs holds a letter she had planned to use as a prop while lip-syncing the lyrics to Dear Mr. President, a song by the entertainer Pink, at a Park Springs Elementary School performance.
(Sun-Sentinel/Andrew Innerarity) May 4, 2006

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-csong06may05,0,1136373.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines

[Waya]

1. Bet she would be allowed....

..to sing 'Angry Amerian' by Toby Keith.....:eyes:

[imax2268]

2. He must be a rightie...

they hate Free Speech...

[jrw14125]

3. you forgot the best quote:

"Assuming the decision stands, Molly said she plans to select a new song for the show later this month with a message she thinks school officials wouldn't object to: A hip-hop song about two girls fighting over a boy."

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

6. Ahhh...only in George W. Bush's America.

:rofl:

[kurth]

4. Exactly - no one would quibble with "Mr President, How Great Thou Art"

Molly is a brave kid.

[seriousstan]

5. They should teach her the appropriate use of punctuation and capitalization

and then let her sing.

I am more worried about her writing abilities than her choice of songs.

[bullimiami]

7. according to reported polls, 1/3 of americans could possibly be upset

by her singing the pink song. so 2/3 of the parents will not be allowed to hear it.
minority rules.

[jobycom]

8. Glad to see the number one message is still being taught in schools

"Do what you are told, and don't ask questions."

[bowens43]

10. The student wasn't prohibited from asking questions. nt

[jobycom]

12. She was prohibited from asking questions the other students might

be forced to think about.

[Sequoia]

11. All, in all, you're just another brick in the wall.

[bowens43]

9. So the principle of an elementary school

doesn't have the right to determine what is and is not appropriate for a school talent contest?

How about if one of the students wanted to get up and sing a song that was blatantly racist or homophobic? Would that be ok with you?

Elementary students do not have an absolute right to free speech at a school function.

[MercutioATC]

13. No, but there's nothing objectionable in this song.

No profanity, no sexual references, no violence.

It DOES seem as if the decision is politically motivated.

[gratuitous]

15. You're probably right

But is there something racist or homophobic in the song? I only know the title of the song, and it seems polite ("Dear" Mr. President) and respectful (Dear "Mr." President). Guess I should look up the lyrics:

Dear Mr. President
Were you a lonely boy
Are you a lonely boy
Are you a lonely boy
How can you say
No child is left behind
We're not dumb and we're not blind
They're all sitting in your cells
While you pave the road to hell

What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away
And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay
I can only imagine what the first lady has to say
You've come a long way from whiskey and cocaine

How do you sleep while the rest of us cry
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye
How do you walk with your head held high
Can you even look me in the eye

Let me tell you bout hard work
Minimum wage with a baby on the way
Let me tell you bout hard work
Rebuilding your house after the bombs took them away
Let me tell you bout hard work
Building a bed out of a cardboard box
Let me tell you bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
You don't know nothing bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
Oh

How do you sleep at night
How do you walk with your head held high
Dear Mr. President
You'd never take a walk with me
Would you

_______________

Well, it does say aitch ee double hockey sticks. There are some grammatical faux pas there ("You don't know nothing"). But a lot of it seems to be concern that the president isn't very aware of current events, and the writer is helpfully trying to bring him up to speed a little bit.

Perhaps you could point out (other than the one word which could be changed to "heck" and the grammatical error) what isn't "appropriate" in the lyrics?

[Zookeeper]

14. Why do I suspect that she would be allowed to sing...

some sleazy Brittney Spears song? As if that wouldn't also be political in it's own way.