A first-grade teacher in Wisconsin was ordered by school officials to remove a Dolly Parton song called “Rainbowland” from her students’ spring concert.
Contacted by news media, the district superintendent pointed to a policy about controversial issues in classrooms. The teacher says “district officials have tried to remove other references to rainbows” from schools, and last year “asked teachers throughout the district to take down rainbow decor and to stop wearing rainbow lanyards or clothing.” (Read story here.)
You can read the “Rainbowland” lyrics here. Maybe the reference to “hand in hand” (i.e., two women holding hands) set off the censors. Or maybe it was references to “hurt” and “love.”
This has gone too far. When first-graders can’t sing about rainbows and loving each other because of grownups’ hangups, things are out of control. Dragging little kids into their anti-gay hate is child abuse, and child abusers shouldn’t run schools.
If the haters are allowed to get their way, these posters will be banned from classrooms. Is it any wonder teachers are fleeing the teaching profession in record numbers?
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