The United States Of America is on a shaky, political terrain due to a sensitive social climate. The authorities’ priorities over issues have been questionable, recently, regarding LGBTQIA+ issues and gun laws. Now, schools are getting dragged into confused priority politics. Now, a Wisconsin school has banned Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton’s ‘Rainbowland’.
The Heyer Elementary School in Wisconsin has barred the first graders to perform ‘Rainbowland’ during their Spring concert. The dual-language instructor Melissa Tempel brought the issue to light after the school canceled the performance of the song. The song is from Miley Cyrus’ sixth studio album ‘Younger Now’. The Waukesha School District presented a vague reason for the cancellation of the performance. Here’s what happened.
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Miley Cyrus And Dolly Parton’s ‘Rainbowland’ Is Deemed To Be “Controversial”
The first graders at the Heyer Elementary School in Wisconsin were excited about their Spring concert. Their dual-language instructors including Melissa Tempel decided on the ‘world unity and peace’ theme. The two selected songs like ‘Here Comes the Sun’ by The Beatles; ‘It’s a Small World’. The list also included the song ‘Rainbowland’ by Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton. After they started the rehearsal, the administration asked them to cancel the performance of the song.
My first graders were so excited to sing Rainbowland for our spring concert but it has been vetoed by our administration. When will it end? @waukeshaschools @DollyParton @MileyCyrus @mileyworld @gsafewi @CivilRights #publicschools pic.twitter.com/8Na0nETmDw
— Maestra Melissa (@melissatempel) March 21, 2023
Melissa Tempel took to Twitter to raise the issue about the song cancellation. The teacher wrote, “My first graders were so excited to sing Rainbowland for our spring concert but it has been vetoed by our school administration. When will it end?”
While talking to USA Today, Melissa expressed her and the student’s disappointment. Tempel said that students were sad to know that they will not perform the song. She said, “We just really feel bad because the kids were excited about it. It’s just really confusing. It just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.”
Jim Serbert, the Superintendent of the Waukesha School District talked to Fox 6 about the reason for the cancellation of the song from the list. Citing the School Board Policy 2240, Serbert said, “It was determined that ‘Rainbowland’ could be perceived as controversial.” They were concerned about “whether it was appropriate for the age and maturity level of the students.” He also questioned the “social or personal impacts” of the song being performed.
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Twitteratis Reacts To The Board’s Decision
Dolly Parton and her goddaughter Miley Cyrus’ song ‘Rainbowland’ talks about inclusion. It is a utopian world of a rainbow land where people from varied ethnicities, races, religions, and gender identities live and thrive together.
While talking to NME, Cyrus talked about the song saying, “(It would be great) if we all did come together to create and said, ‘Hey, we’re different, that’s awesome, let’s not change to be the same, let’s stay different but let’s come together anyway.’ Because a rainbow’s not a rainbow without all the different colors.”
Twitteratis expressed their discontent over the ban:
Never thought I'd live in a society where rainbows are too controversial. Mind you,this is nothing new, sadly. In my day, "Free To Be You and Me" was also censored by right-wing conservatives for its feminist ideals & general retaliation against traditional gender stereotypes pic.twitter.com/jLYIHytUAS
— Parsley 🇨🇦#TRUMPFASCISTDICTATOR🌈🌊 (@pazesez) March 27, 2023
Our kids deserve to dream of and sing about rainbows and unity. I just don’t understand why anyone, let alone public school administrators, would do this. They should be praising the song choices, not banning the songs.
— Erica L Kochanski (@TweetEinWI) March 23, 2023
This is absolutely absurd and so disappointing.
— Elizabeth Whalen (@Liz_whalen) March 23, 2023
People in America literally be doing anything except strengthening gun laws
— Leiny (3am Edition) | Midnights 🌌 (@captainleinald) March 25, 2023
Today a school in Wisconsin banned students from singing the song "Rainbowland" by @MileyCyrus & @DollyParton.
The so-called inappropriate lyrics are:
🎵"Wouldn't it be nice to live in paradise."
"Where we're free to be exactly who we are."🎵What's next?
Banning the Muppets?… pic.twitter.com/1wv3RjIRei
— LongTime🤓FirstTime👩💻 (@LongTimeHistory) March 24, 2023
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