School admin claims MD Obama song story ‘not true’
On our last post about the lyrics of a song that was reportedly taught to student at Longfellow Elementary School in Howard County, we received the following comment from someone named Lisa:
The scary part, this story, I CAN ASSURE YOU, was never verified. IT’S NOT TRUE. It’s sad to see so many people jumping on a bandwagon of criticism. Anyone who is disgraced by this should be even more disgraced by the fact that they believe everything they read. Give the school and the administration some credit.
Based on the email address and the Howard County Public Schools IP address of the commenter, we’re fairly certain that the comment was left by Lisa Ciarapica, an assistant principal at Swansfield Elementary School.
We will be sending an email to Public Information at Howard County Public Schools to see if they have any official response to the Obama song story. Contact information for their public information office is publicinfo@hcpss.org or 410-313-6682. We will run any response from the school system unedited and uncut in a later post.
The story has since been picked up by Michelle Malkin after originally being mentioned by Brian Griffiths and Sean & Frank.
In our initial post earlier we just included the song’s lyrics. However, both Griffiths in his post and Sean & Frank (via a Word document) had this complete email that consists of an email that appears to be from a parent mentioning the situation along with forwarding a response that is allegedly from the Assistant Principal at Longfellow Elementary:
From: (Removed)
Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 1:30 PM
To: (Removed)
Subject: Song
Hi everyone, below is the email that our son’s Assistant Principal sent us to let us know the wording of the Obama song that our son told us his class was instructed to sing last week…the teacher is part of the first grade team of teachers and is really nice, but this is not what we want our son doing at school or anywhere!Any advice?
Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 11:33 AM
To: (Removed)
Subject: SongHello Mr. (REMOVED),
The words to the song are below.
Thank you!
Laurel MarshObama,
President Obama,
President Obama,
President Obama,
President Obama–He says
Yes we can!
President Obama–We say
Yes we can!
President Obama–I say
Yes I can!
President Obama–He says
Yes we can!
Barack Obama–Oh yes he rates,
The first Black President in the United States!
He’s smart and he’s–so so good!
He’ll lead this country as he should!
He wants us all to work together,
To make this country even better!
Prez’ Obama says–”Yes We Can!”
Make the US better–hand in hand!
Obama,
President Obama,
President Obama,
President Obama
President!
————————————————-
Laurel Marsh
Assistant Principal
Longfellow Elementary
410-313-6879
Laurel Marsh is indeed listed as the Assistant Principal at Longfellow. As we mentioned, we had the comment apparently from an assistant principal at another school saying the whole story is false so that implies that Lisa Ciarapica is claiming the whole email above along with the song lyrics are fabricated.
We look forward to a response from Howard County Public Schools, Lisa Ciarapica, Laurel Marsh and the parent who reportedly forwarded this email to Brian Griffiths or WCBM.
UPDATE: I’ve been told via email that I will be receiving an official response in this matter from the Howard County Public Schools. Stay tuned to Inside Charm City for more details.
6 Comments »
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1
Ooops, guess I shouldn’t have sent the link to here, red state, and sean and frank to drudge….OH WELL. I’m guessing that the above mentioned sources would have done their homework prior, and the others that I sent it too, would have researched before posting as well.
OH, and of course, no “internet rumor” would be complete without the people at freerepublic.com hearing about it too, and then calling the source for clarification as well.
See, the good people of the internet tend to take things with a grain of salt, and then verify it for themselves, or ask the non-alphabet media to verify something for us. Seems someone at Howard Co. Public Schools should dig into the situation and give us names and validity than just a short sound bite.
Comment by FightinBluHen51 — October 6, 2009 @ 3:35 pm
2
That’s strange that Lisa claims that this never happened because I spoke to the information director at the school, Patti Caplan, 1 420- 313 -6680, and she was very happy to explain that the song had been written last year by a first grade teacher at the school and her class as part of a class project. They are not trying to hide the fact that the song was written last year and performed in class this year.
Comment by DDShaw — October 6, 2009 @ 3:51 pm
3
I made a typo in that phone number for Patti Caplan (Chaplain?) 1 410 313-6680.
Comment by DDShaw — October 6, 2009 @ 3:53 pm
4
CONFIRMED IN WRITING!!
Subject Re: internet rumor pls comment
From “Carol H. Caldwell”
Date Wednesday, October 7, 2009 8:48 am
To bob*******@optonline.net
Return-path
bob*******@optonline.net writes:
>>My name is Bob *******.
>>I have encountered an Internet rumor that students in the Longfellow Elementary
>>school are being taught to sing a song praising President Obama.
>>Please let me know if there is any truth to the rumor.
>>http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-…/2355967/posts
>>http://redmaryland.blogspot.com/2009…rd-county.html
>>Yours very truly,
>>~Bob *******
Mr. *******,
“Yes I Can” Song – Longfellow Elementary School
Background:
Last week, all LES first graders were shown a videotape of President Obama’s speech to students as part of the school’s Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Program (PBIS) focus on being safe, responsible and respectful. As the classes were gathering in one of the first grade classrooms, the teacher was playing a CD of a song she and her students composed last year for a technology competition (lyrics attached). She also played the song as the students were leaving.
One parent called and emailed the school with the complaint that students were being forced to “glorify and worship” President Obama. The school administration responded to this parent and provided him with a copy of the lyrics, which he posted on a blog.
• The objective of this lesson was to motivate students with a positive message to be respectful, stay in school, work hard and do their best.
• The lesson supports the work the school is doing as part of PBIS.
• There was no intention or attempt to glorify or worship the President.
• The children did sing along to the chorus of the song, which repeats “Yes I Can” and “Yes We Can.” Repetition of this nature is a common element in songs for children of this age.
• The focus of the lesson was on the children and positive behavior, not the President.
• Educators often use positive role models in their lessons, including Presidents of the United States, and this practice is supported by the Howard County Public School System.
The Howard County Public School System does not require nor encourage teachers to include references to President Obama in their lessons, nor does it discourage the use of such references.
Carol Caldwell
Public Information
410.313.6682
Carol_Caldwell@hcpss.org
fax 410.313.6774
Comment by Long Island Bob — October 7, 2009 @ 11:09 am
5
Bob, We already reported that here:
http://insidecharmcity.com/2009/10/07/howard-county-schools-respond-to-obama-song-story/
Comment by Jeff Quinton — October 7, 2009 @ 11:15 am
6
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) focuses on being safe, responsible and respectful. The Obama Song mentions “Obama” 13 (thirteen) times putting into question the Howard County Public Information Officer’s position, “the focus of the lesson was on the children, positive behavior, not the President”.
I am a grandparent, with no children in HCPS, and I did call to get some facts when I heard a sound bite on Fox News Radio. Perhaps my complaint is less weighted as a lowly taxpayer? “One (yes only one) parent called…”.
Dear Parents, listen to “Grams”, if the complaint is valid, it doesn’t matter if there is one complaint or one hundred.
Never apologize for having concerns on behalf of your child.
It is unfortunate that the Vice Principal received terrible emails and calls but if they rise to the threshold of a threat, they may and should be filed with the police department. The concern about the impropriety of the politically identifiable song being played and taught to first grade children in a public school supported with tax payer dollars remains.
I have other questions. Who approved the “Obama Song” to be played, and taught this year?
How was the same “Obama Song” distributed last year?
For what technology contest was the “Obama Song” prepared last year?
Who sponsored that contest?
“The Howard County Public School System respects the right of individuals to disagree…..What SHOULD concern everyone”…. “Enough already! This is much ado about nothing.” (?)
As a taxpayer, without children in the school, I have a concern about the process that led to this political song being played and taught to first grade children. What is the responsibility of the school system as the gatekeeper that controls curriculum? Is there an ethics document for teachers (beyond dress code) that would outlaw religion, politics, and union and/or membership songs, materials, and proselytizing in the classroom? If not, why not?
If we look to D.C. Schools, we will see 100 (one hundred) students demonstrating on behalf of the teacher’s union.
Teachers are very powerful and have the potential to impact every child’s life. That power should never be abused.
Teachers have a right to a personal life, a political life, and even a sex life. To share those things, even worse, force those things on students, no matter how subtle, is unethical and wrong. Students trust. Parents trust. Even Grandparents trust teachers, not schools.
Comment by cherylo — October 9, 2009 @ 4:40 pm