Howard County Schools respond to Obama song story
We received the following statement this morning from Patti Caplan, public information officer of the Howard County Public School System:
Several weeks ago, all Longfellow Elementary School 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), which focuses 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. She also played the song as the students were leaving.
One (yes only one) parent called and emailed the school with his concern that the 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 his wife posted on a blog. The school administration has met with this parent and he apologized for the posting and for creating so much trouble for the school. He indicated that the school had addressed his concern.
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. The children did sing along to 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. There was no intention or attempt to glorify or worship 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.
The Howard County Public School System respects the right of individuals to disagree with the words of the song and/or even the use of the song in this context. However, the idea that a public school system would have a “policy” to force students to “worship” the President is so ludicrous it deserves no response.
What should concern everyone is the fact that the name of the school’s assistant principal was posted on the blog and has now been circulated widely on the Internet. As a result she has received uncivil, vulgar and threatening calls and emails from all over the country. These come from individuals who have no clue what really took place at the school. Enough already! This is much ado about nothing. These attacks are harassment and must stop.
Previously:
Lyrics from Obama worship song in Maryland elementary school
School admin claims MD Obama song story ‘not true’
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[...] The school district is blaming the parent who blew the whistle! Posted in: Education Printer Friendly comments (62) trackbacks [...]
Pingback by Michelle Malkin » Indoctrination Watch: Obama school praise hymn of the day — October 7, 2009 @ 10:36 am
2
I got news…no way in hell as a parent would I be apologizing to that school for “blowing the whistle”
“The children did sing along to 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.”
So, from an impressionable age, we teach them repetition, which teaches them reinforcement, right? AWESOME! Doesn’t pass my smell test. Many thanks to this blog, Red State’s blog, Drudge, Michelle Malkin, and the other good posters at Free Republic for forcing the school to tell the truth!
Comment by FightinBluHen51 — October 7, 2009 @ 10:48 am
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Hey, I have no problem with the poem. Just replace BO’s name with George Bush’s. See how that works out for you!
Comment by BG — October 7, 2009 @ 11:35 am
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That “explanation” is such a load of foul smelling material. No one with basic common sense can believe that the lyrics to that song are anything but politically based. How she can state with a straight face that there was no “attempt to glorify or worship the President”? His name is mentioned 14 times during this short ditty and it is used specifically as a chant at the beginning and end of the song. Why was there even the need to play this glorification song during the entrance and exit of the students from the classroom? Why not just play a typical feel good childrens song? As stated above, this does not pass the smell test, by any stretch of the imagination.
Comment by David — October 7, 2009 @ 12:40 pm
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Schools should be teaching kids how to read and write. Instead we get these feel good programs that have nothing what so ever on education! No wonder our schools are in such bad shape and our children are getting short changed on their education! Praising Obama should not be on the agenda!
Comment by gsh — October 7, 2009 @ 1:19 pm
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Oh, and something else — Ms. Caplan states that the purpose of the lesson was “to motivate students with a positive message to be respectful, stay in school, work hard and do their best”. Well the focus of that song was not on those things, but rather it WAS on President Obama and what he wants and how good he is supposed to be. Plus at the end of the statement, she states that this is “much ado about nothing”. I wonder if this song had been about a republican, say former President Bush or former Governor Ehrlich, she would be saying the same thing. You just know that all the liberals would be up in arms and crying about about the shameful intrusion of politics in the elementary classroom. And they would be right to do so, but I guess they only feel that way when it is someone they don’t vote for. Truly shameful that the school administration allowed this to happen, and even worse that they are not owning up to this being a very bad mistake, apologizing for it, and taking corrective actions to make sure it does not happen again. Shame on them.
Comment by David — October 7, 2009 @ 1:59 pm
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[...] You can read the entire statement from Howard County Schools here. [...]
Pingback by Obama-Worship = Positive Education???? — October 8, 2009 @ 12:31 am
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I think that any calls or emails to that assistant principle would be labeled as insulting, vulgar and threatening. The only thing these people know how to do is call names. They can’t think!
This story should be spread far and wide and shame should be brought upon all involved in forcing those children to sing that Obama Hymn!
Comment by Kyle Varner — October 8, 2009 @ 12:38 am
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It’s obvious that Ms Caplan is a flat out Lier. She stated “The focus of the lesson was on the children and positive behavior, not the President. There was no intention or attempt to glorify or worship the President”.
But the lyrics clearly repeat Obama’s name 14 times and states that “he’s smart, he’s so good”, etc.
This is blatent brain washing of the students and she lied about it. How stupid does she and the Board of Ed think that the publis is? I wonder if Sydney Cousins approved her “statement” prior to relears? If so, he has some explaining to do. Further, to include in her statement that this situation is blown out of proportion and makes petty talk out of it (i.e. “only one parent” showed concern) reaffirms Ms Caplans’ bias and unprofessionalism.
Ms Caplan and the Principal of Longfellow Elementary should be fired.
Comment by Kevin Maher — October 8, 2009 @ 10:44 am
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[...] Here is a response from Howard County Public School System about the [...]
Pingback by Songs of praise to “the one” …….again…… « PachydermsBlog — November 17, 2009 @ 12:40 am