MADISON, Wis. — Directors at a Wisconsin elementary faculty stopped a first-grade class from performing a Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton duet selling LGBTQ acceptance as a result of the track “may very well be perceived as controversial.”
College students at Heyer Elementary Faculty in Waukesha had ready a rendition of “Rainbowland” for his or her spring live performance, however faculty officers struck the track from the lineup final week. Mother and father within the district say the choice was made as a result of the track encourages LGBTQ acceptance and references rainbows.
Superintendent James Sebert, who didn’t instantly return a name on Monday, confirmed to Fox6 that directors had eliminated “Rainbowland” from the first-grade live performance as a result of it won’t be “acceptable for the age and maturity stage of the scholars.” He additionally cited a faculty board coverage in opposition to elevating controversial points in lecture rooms.
Sebert has beforehand prohibited rainbows and delight flags from being displayed in Waukesha lecture rooms and suspended the varsity district’s fairness and variety work in 2021.
“Let’s all dig down deep inside, brush the judgment and concern apart,” the track from Cyrus’ 2017 album “Youthful Now” goes. “Residing in a Rainbowland, the place you and I’m going hand in hand. Oh, I’d be mendacity if I mentioned this was positive, all of the damage and the hate happening right here.”
First-grade instructor Melissa Tempel mentioned she selected the track as a result of its message appeared common and candy. The category live performance’s theme was “The World” and included different songs akin to “Right here Comes the Solar,” by The Beatles and “What a Great World,” by Louis Armstrong.
“My college students had been simply devastated. They actually preferred this track and we had already begun singing it,” Tempel mentioned Monday.
Directors additionally initially banned the track “Rainbow Connection” from The Muppets however later reversed that call, in response to Tempel.
Mother and father have been angered by the track’s removing, Tempel mentioned. However she was extra involved about what the ban and different district insurance policies in opposition to expressing LGBTQ assist meant for college students.
“These complicated messages about rainbows are in the end making a tradition that appears unsafe in the direction of queer individuals,” she mentioned.
Spokespersons for Parton and Cyrus didn’t instantly reply to emails on Monday asking the artists’ ideas on the ban.
Wisconsin faculty boards races, together with in Waukesha, have change into more and more partisan lately. Republicans noticed huge beneficial properties throughout the state’s faculty board races in 2022 and have used the positions to problem insurance policies from guidelines about transgender children to COVID-19 restrictions.
• Hurt Venhuizen is a corps member for the Related Press/Report for America Statehouse Information Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit nationwide service program that locations journalists in native newsrooms to report on undercovered points. Comply with Venhuizen on Twitter.
