Posted on 11/14/2005 7:09:19 AM PST by Watershed
BERKLEY, Mich. (AP) — A black parent and the NAACP are criticizing a middle school's choice to perform a song that they say glorifies slavery.
The song, "Pick a Bale of Cotton," is on the folk music choir program Wednesday at predominantly white Anderson Middle School in the Berkley School District.
The song's lyrics include, "Jump down, turn around, pick a bale of cotton. Gotta jump down, turn around, Oh Lordie, pick a bale a day."
Greg Montgomery said he complained to school officials, and when he was dissatisfied with their response, decided to pull his 11-year-old daughter China from singing.
"It's mind-boggling that people don't understand sensitive issues," he told The Detroit News.
China said: "They were bringing back the memories of how African-Americans picked cotton, and it wasn't a good memory. It was disrespectful to African-Americans."
Berkley schools spokeswoman Gwen Ahern said district officials would consider the song's origin and decide whether to leave it in the concert program. She also defended the choice.
"We used to sing that song when I was in school during the '50s," she said. "It's like a Southern type of folk song. I remember it being perky. It was more of a song that people just sang for fun."
Thanks for the link.
They drew pictures on the cave ceilings and walls too, and on pieces of wood, and cut holes in stones and bone to make beads.
The schools have an obligation to teach children their fundamental birthright. You can get science and math on educational CDs and teach them at home if you wish.
As did we along with all the other American songs....including BHOTR but admittedly we refrained from the more punitive verses....Grant and Sherman had scourged 100 years before precisely where we then sang
We watched Uncle Remus and the old Coronet Littlest Angel too...in public school.
and said Lord's Prayer...and Onward Christian Soldiers
we were all ruined by that ya know..lol
China said: "They were bringing back the memories of how African-Americans picked cotton, and it wasn't a good memory. It was disrespectful to African-Americans."
Now a days they sing it this way:
"Pick in a bale of cotton in a $250,000 John Deere
Turn the AC on, fire up CD player and open a cold beer"
I do not share the nostalgic view of the old days of education. Only in the best of schools was it really good and in most prepared students only to minimal standards. Often the teachers were not educated themselves sufficiently. And the heavy emphasis on Latin and Greek called forth the same criticisms of "inapplicability" that courses do today. But the needs of the students then were far less complex and technical than are those of today's students.
Most of the people in the 1800s still lived on farms and had no need for much education their jobs and lives were pretty much laid down for most of them. And many of the technically oriented jobs were filled through experience and apprenticeship not formal education. In the urban areas the emphasis was on bringing the newly arrived into the American culture hence teaching the language and assimilation was paramount. In both areas the schools did a fine job.
No one is speaking of kids being "spoonfed culture" either that is not what is happening. Most educators will tell you that increasing the time spent on hardcore academics does not work after a certain amount of time is reached. Breaking up the day with less rigorous activities makes learning more efficient. Taking away recess is very shortsighted in my opinion.
Extra curricular activities have always been important to students in becoming the type of citizens we need. Even 40 yrs ago we had sports, school papers, chorus, band, clubs to assist in making school interesting.
Lets face it most students (especially boys) HATE school and always did. I did not but my kids did. Therefore it is important that there be activities available which can mitigate that hate to some extent.
As a music teacher, I can tell you that teaching music involves a lot more than simply teaching "littles kiddies to sing on key." It allows them a chance to be creative, express themselves, use their minds in a way that they do not have access to in the academic subjects, and enhances their awareness of culture and, by extension, their sophisticated understanding of the world around them.
There is a lot more depth to music and and than meets the eye for many people, and the adults of tomorrow need to be given the opportunity to at least be touched by it. Do we really want to live in a society where art and music are conspiciously absent?
At the expense of the taxpayers who do not use said facilities, yes.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.