As parents, it is our responsibility to protect our children and let them be children for as long as they can be. The world can be a tough and scary place, and our children should not have to deal with adult stuff until they are ready. This is why a recent controversy at a Waukesha, Wisconsin, elementary school has sparked our attention.
The school is hosting its annual spring concert, where adorable children will sing songs, spread smiles, and provide lots of photos and videos for parents to display and embarrass those little kids with once they become teenagers. The theme of the event is “The World,” and like everything in this super-divisive world, it is not without controversy.
Some songs to be performed include “Here Comes the Sun” and “What a Wonderful World.” However, one first-grade teacher chose to have her class sing “Rainbowland” by Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton, and the administration said no. It’s a catchy little country ditty, and while we support its message and love all things Dolly Parton, the song is about acceptance of the LGBTQ community.
The question, however, is why 6-year-olds are being taught anything about sexual orientation in school. Why are they being used as performative activists to teach a moral lesson to society at a spring concert? Let’s look at some lyrics from the song: “All the hurt and the hate going on here.” Why are 6-year-olds singing about hurt and hate at a spring concert, which is, by its nature, intended to spread the joy of newness and life? “Brush the judgement and fear aside.” Fear? Why are 6-year-olds talking about fear? It doesn’t matter what the context is; these are words children should not be singing at a school concert, particularly one intended to spread happiness and jubilation. These are words that don’t need a context for a first-grader to know what they mean. They’re bad words.
Due to the nature of the song that got axed, there is, of course, a massive backlash. The administration that nixed the song from the performance is being called bigoted, non-supportive of the LGBTQ students, etc. However, the school says the song was canceled because it could be perceived as “controversial” and therefore goes against school policy. School policy states that “controversial” is anything “on which opposing points of view have been promulgated by responsible opinion; which may be the subject of intense public argument, disagreement or disapproval; which may have political, social or personal impacts on students and/or the community; and which is likely to arouse both support and opposition in the community.”
Obviously, a song sung by 6-year-olds in support of LGBTQ inclusion is controversial, whether we think the topic should be or not. Therefore, it does not conform to school policy. In the end, we should let children be children for as long as they can be; otherwise, we take away that naïve sparkle that charms most kids’ eyes.
The only thing a 6-year-old needs to know about a rainbow is that it’s a beautiful, magical thing in the sky that may have a pot of gold at the end of it, if they believe in Leprechauns. We should not confuse them with messages about rainbows that are ultimately creating a culture that seems unsafe towards queer people. The LGBTQ community does not “own” the rainbow. It has been adopted as a symbol of the community, and while that is a lovely message, it’s not “owned” by anyone. There are many songs about rainbows that have nothing to do with this topic. Kermit the Frog comes to mind.
Therefore, as parents, it is our duty to protect our children and keep them away from adult stuff for as long as we can. Let children believe in the simple magic of a rainbow for as long as they can. Life will do that itself unfortunately, in due time.
