Academia, Bizarre, Society

New York Principal Bans Playing Of “God Bless The USA” At School Ceremony

Greta Hawkins, principal of PS 90, the Edna Cohen School, in Coney Island is at the heart of a controversy over her decision to ban the singing of “God Bless the USA” by the students at their end of the year ceremony. While the kids have been practicing the song for months as their finale, Hawkins reportedly walked into one of their last practices and promptly forbid the singing of the song as potentially insulting to some people. Justin Beiber however is considered perfectly fine.

Teachers quote Hawkins as saying “We don’t want to offend other cultures.” What is odd is that the song has been performed at prior events at the school, including graduation. It is a popular part of the celebrations and last year reportedly received a standing ovation.

Department of Education spokeswoman Jessica Scaperotti defended Hawkins and explained that she thought the lyrics were “too grown up” for 5-year-olds. Here are the lyrics:

If tomorrow all the things were gone,
I’d worked for all my life.
And I had to start again,
with just my children and my wife.

I’d thank my lucky stars,
to be livin here today.
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom,
and they can’t take that away.

And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

From the lakes of Minnesota,
to the hills of Tennessee.
Across the plains of Texas,
From sea to shining sea.

From Detroit down to Houston,
and New York to L.A.
Well there’s pride in every American heart,
and its time we stand and say.

That I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

And I’m proud to be and American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

I am not sure why those lyrics are too grown up or insulting to some parents while Hawkins has allowed Justin Bieber’s song “Baby.” That song discusses how he is trying to land a girl and how “When I was 13, I had my first love; There was nobody that compared to my baby.”

Teachers have been speaking anonymously against Hawkins, including suggestions that the song was personally insulting to her faith as a Jehovah’s Witness. Hawkins does not recite the pledge of allegiance or reportedly stand for the pledge during ceremonies. She was previously reprimanded in 2010 after teachers complained that she called the school “racist” and declared: “I’m black. Your previous principal was white and Jewish. More of us are coming.”

We have previously seen controversies involving students told not to wear flags or engage in patriotic speech to protect the sensibilities of some parents. I disagree with those decisions. There is a difference between putting down other cultures and celebrating pride in our own nation. I hold no brief for this song, but I think the decision should be reversed.

What do you think?

Source: NY Post

60 thoughts on “New York Principal Bans Playing Of “God Bless The USA” At School Ceremony”

  1. I am not sure why those lyrics are too grown up or insulting to some parents while Hawkins has allowed Justin Bieber’s song “Baby.” That song discusses how he is trying to land a girl and how “When I was 13, I had my first love; There was nobody that compared to my baby.”
    ================================================
    The Statue of Liberty was donated to the United States by France. Is Justin Bieber’s song better?

  2. My ideal is separation of church and state. How about “Allah bless the USA”. How about “Buda bless the USA” Religion should be priviate, not public. When songs or prayers are done in public, it shoves it down peoples throat. Did God bless America, or is he going to. Why would he bless America in the first place? Would God bless Canada, or England or Cuba? Is God bias. The song is definitely an indoctrinating tool.

  3. And here I thought she was trying to keep the school secular; keep religion out of school, entirely. Noooo….this seems to be a case of one religion trying to assert superiority over another. Whatever happened to free *from* religion in what’s supposed to be a secular setting?

  4. Pingback: Be Proud To Be An American, And Damn Other Cultures And Damn You Greta Hawkins « Society Bytes

  5. “IF YOU WANT TO SEE A RACIST LADY, LOOK IN THE MIRROR!!!!!”

    “GO BACK TO WHEREVER THE HELL YOUR ANCESTERS CAME FROM”

    Multiple irony overloads.

  6. I love all the songs suggested as substitutes. Truly inspired. My kind of sentiment.

    When our daughter’s elem school (that’s right, alternative) had a graduation ceremony, 35+ years ago, they sang “It’s a small World After All”. Wonderful.. I must say, it might have brought tears to my eyes.

  7. IF YOU WANT TO SEE A RACIST LADY, LOOK IN THE MIRROR!!!!!
    IF YOU DON’T LOVE THIS COUNTRY AND THE OPPORTUNITY IT HAS GIVEN YOU, GO BACK TO WHEREVER THE HELL YOUR ANCESTERS CAME FROM. THIS SOCIETY HAS SOMETHING CALLED CIVIL RIGHTS WHICH APPLY TO ALL RACES. THEY INCLUDE THOSE PROTECTED BY THE 1ST AMMENDMENT. OUR’S IS A GOVERNMENT FOR BY AND OF THE PEOPLE. YOU OR ANYONE ELSE IS OFFENDED BY SONGS ABOUT OUR BELOVED COUNTRY NEED TO LEAVE. YOU SHOULD BE FIRED. I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY ANYONE LIKE YOU IS ALLOWED TO RUN A SCHOOL AND SPREAD YOUR BRAND OF RACIAL POISON WHICH CONTINUES TO PLAGUE OUR SOCIETY. YOU ARE AN INSULT TO US.

  8. I wonder why she banned it so late? One would think she would have immediately said it wasn’t allowed. Possibly threatened with a law suit – I don’t think public school students should be singing “God Bless the USA.” It’s not a bad song, but is rather alienating to nonbelievers and could easily come off as an endorsement of belief in God. Considering Lee Greenwood and the origins of the song, it could even be argued as an endorsement of Christianity. Don’t think it’s very fair to attack the principal over this, particularly without more information.

  10. eniobob 1, June 11, 2012 at 2:02 pm

    Dredd

    sorry for the type error
    ====================
    No prob eniobob, I am the Dredd type. 😉

  11. Oro Lee
    BTW, I consider the use of “American” to .solely designate US citizens to be offensive.

    Two thumbs up and hat off to you.

    Even in our name we have to pee over the rest of the western hemisphere.
    I think in fairness we should be called Vespcuciians. We are 1st in many things after all some of them even good and wholesome. It is after all a Surname.
    My second suggestion is a bit more sinister, how about the name AMARYANS, It is almost a homophone and there already is a group of people here that would love the word contained within it.
    I bet Rove and Luntz could spin it. Even make it part of Romneys and Repubs convention platform!!! OH OH! they don’t read this blog, right?
    OH OH I’m hitting delete.

  13. The principal might have been better off banning the song as a matter of taste. That song is truly awful! No offense intended to Lee Greenwood or his fan. Its jingoistic and grammatically offensive lyrics appeal to the same low-effort thinking as the talking points of most politicians, all style and no substance. Too grown up for 5 year olds? More likely too lowbrow.

  14. Not my favorite song or singer but why ban any song in school that won’t disrupt the school day?

  17. Dreed & Danny H.

    Will pass on to some family members who are in the Jehovah Witness religion,am looking forward to their reaction to the post that you both have put up.

  18. How about this version of “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee..” Is it offensive?

    “My country,’ tis of thee,
    sweet land of liberty, of thee we dream;
    Land where our warriors died,
    land of the many tribes,
    from every sacred site let freedom ring!”

  19. KORourke, I got so involved what I too see as jingoistic that I neglected the G-d bless part. You are right on that too. In today’s environment, jingoism would be okay and shye is wrong because she is ‘throwing G-d’ out of school.

  20. Dredd, two thumbs up.

    BTW, I consider the use of “American” to .solely designate US citizens to be offensive.

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