Dolly Parton, left, and Miley Cyrus carry out “Jolene” on the 61st annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 10, 2019.
Matt Sayles/Matt Sayles/Invision/AP
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Matt Sayles/Matt Sayles/Invision/AP
Dolly Parton, left, and Miley Cyrus carry out “Jolene” on the 61st annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 10, 2019.
Matt Sayles/Matt Sayles/Invision/AP
MADISON, Wis. — Directors at a Wisconsin elementary college stopped a first-grade class from performing a Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton duet selling LGBTQ acceptance as a result of the tune “might 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 college officers struck the tune from the lineup final week. Dad and mom within the district say the choice was made as a result of the tune 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 towards elevating controversial points in lecture rooms.
Sebert has beforehand prohibited rainbows and satisfaction 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 tune from Cyrus’ 2017 album “Youthful Now” goes. “Residing in a Rainbowland, the place you and I am going hand in hand. Oh, I would be mendacity if I mentioned this was tremendous, all of the harm and the hate occurring right here.”
First-grade trainer Melissa Tempel mentioned she selected the tune as a result of its message appeared common and candy. The category live performance’s theme was “The World” and included different songs reminiscent of “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 appreciated this tune and we had already begun singing it,” Tempel mentioned Monday.
Directors additionally initially banned the tune “Rainbow Connection” from The Muppets however later reversed that call, based on Tempel.
Dad and mom have been angered by the tune’s elimination, Tempel mentioned. However she was extra involved about what the ban and different district insurance policies towards expressing LGBTQ assist meant for college kids.
“These complicated messages about rainbows are in the end making a tradition that appears unsafe in 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 college boards races, together with in Waukesha, have grow to be more and more partisan lately. Republicans noticed massive good points throughout the state’s college board races in 2022 and have used the positions to problem insurance policies from guidelines about transgender youngsters to COVID-19 restrictions.
