Why did a Wisconsin school cut a Dolly Parton-Miley Cyrus song from a first-grade musical?
As the mom of a third-grader, let’s get this out of the way: There is NOTHING cuter than an elementary school musical. A bunch of kids onstage in fancy clothes singing and/or playing 100 out-of-tune recorders simultaneously at the same time ALL AT ONCE? It’s garbage! I love it!
For teachers, it takes a lot of time and behind-the-scenes effort to prepare students for these performances, which is why it’s surprising that a Wisconsin school district recently cut a song from an upcoming first-grade musical for being too controversial.
The scandalous song in question? A 2017 duet by Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus titled “Rainbowland.”
And with lyrics like these, who could blame them?
Living in a Rainbowland
Where everything goes as planned
And I smile
‘Cause I know if we try, we could really make a difference in this world
I won’t give up, I’ll sleep a wink
It’s the only thought I think, you know where I stand
I believe we can start living in a Rainbowland
The nerve, the unmitigated GALL of these teachers trying to influence students to…change the world for the better.
Living in a Rainbowland
Where you and I go hand in hand
Oh, I’d be lying if I said this was fine
All the hurt and the hate going on here
We are rainbows, me and you
Every color, every hue
Let’s shine on through
Together, we can start living in a Rainbowland
*shudders* What’s next — TREATING OTHERS AS YOU WANT TO BE TREATED?
Wouldn’t it be nice to live in paradise
Where we’re free to be exactly who we are
Let’s all dig down deep inside
Brush the judgment and fear aside
Make wrong things right
And end the fight
‘Cause I promise ain’t nobody gonna win (come on)
Man, those kids have no idea how dangerous thoughts like this can be at their age. Being who you are? Accepting others for who they are? NOT HERE. NOT TODAY.
The school district never gave a specific reason for axing the song, but according to Melissa Tempel, a first-grade teacher at the school, the decision might have been because of Miley Cyrus. There’s no denying Cyrus has been a polarizing figure since she was a teenager, on and offstage. But is that enough to justify cutting a song that just wants the world to do better?
The school reportedly replaced “Rainbowland” with Kermit the Frog’s “Rainbow Connection,” another objectively great song about rainbows, before cutting it for reasons unknown, then reinstating it after parents complained. (Pretty wild coincidence that two songs about rainbows were pulled from an elementary school musical!)
What I can’t and won’t let go of here is the apparent disregard for Dolly Parton. And yes, I absolutely mean that in a nobody messes with my queen and gets away with it kind of way, but let’s also take a minute and consider everything she’s done throughout her life to champion education, from her childhood literacy program to incentivizing teenagers to graduate high school to covering all college tuition, books and fees for her employees. She also gives out the annual (and aptly named) Chasing Rainbows Award to a teacher who’s overcome significant obstacles to serve their students.
And then there’s her music career!
If anything, we should be hearing MORE Dolly songs at these tiny-scholar concerts. (Except for “Jolene”…and “Islands in the Stream”…………..and maybe anything from “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”….WHATEVER, MY POINT STANDS)