Usa Forum - School Drops Folk Song

torresdD

11/16/2005 9:01:00 AM

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-54144...

Mich. School Drops Folk Song

Monday November 14, 2005 8:16 PM

BERKLEY, Mich. (AP) -

A song about people picking cotton
was pulled from a middle school
concert in suburban Detroit after
a black parent complained that it
glorifies slavery.

Superintendent Tresa Zumsteg
decided Monday to remove the
song ``Pick a Bale of Cotton''
from the program,

said Gwen Ahearn,

spokeswoman for the
Berkley School District.

Ahearn said that when the song
was picked for Wednesday's folk
songs concert at Anderson Middle School,
there was no intent to offend anyone.

``As it became apparent
that that is the case,
we pulled the song,'' she said.

The school is predominantly white.

The song's lyrics include,

``Jump down, turn around,
pick a bale of cotton.

Gotta jump down, turn around,
Oh, Lordie, pick a bale a day.''

Parent Greg Montgomery said he
complained to school officials,
and when he was dissatisfied with
their response,

decided to pull his
11-year-old daughter,
China, from singing.

``It's mind-boggling that people
don't understand sensitive issues,''

he told The Detroit News.

China said:

``They were bringing back the memories
of how African-Americans picked cotton,
and it wasn't a good memory.

It was disrespectful to African-Americans.''

Ahearn said there's nothing
derogatory in the song's lyrics,
but the district did not want
China to miss the concert.

``For her family and the school district,
the best thing was to pull the song,''

she said.

Earlier, Ahearn,
while confirming that officials
were considering pulling the song,
had defended the choice.

``We used to sing that song
when I was in school during
the '50s,'' she said.

``It's like a Southern type of folk song.

I remember it being perky.

It was more of a song that
people just sang for fun.''

6 Answers

Upasana

11/16/2005 9:40:00 AM

How does the song glorify slavery? The slaves sang the song to make the
day go faster and lighten their load; and this may not be the happiest
of memories but it is indeed part of our heritage. Lots of folk songs
talk about strife, suffering of immigrants and hard times, it doesn't
necessarily glorify them. "Workin in a Coal Mine" is a peppy song, all
about being exploited by the mine owners and getting black lung. I
think to honor these people who built the nation (black, white, Chinese
and others) we can teach and sing the song, but put it into its
context. BTW, I learned the song as "pick a bale o hay," not "pick a
bale a day." "Jimmy Crack Corn" was another song they probably think
"glorifies" slavery. Just mentioning something is not glorifying it. To
balance things they could also teach "Motherless Child" or a sorrowful
black traditional song. It is good music and as Louie Armstrong (I
think) said, "If it sounds good, it IS good."

Sirensongs
The India Diaries - www.sirensongs.blogspot.com

Rev. 11D Meow!

11/16/2005 9:43:00 AM

"Sirensongs" <sirensongs@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1132133983.584705.213260@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> How does the song glorify slavery? The slaves sang the song to ...

Beat Your Sore-Eye White Ass Into The Ground...

Roedy Green

11/16/2005 11:09:00 AM

On Wed, 16 Nov 2005 09:01:22 GMT, "torresD" <torresd30@hotmail.com>
wrote, quoted or indirectly quoted someone who said :

>``It's like a Southern type of folk song.
>
>I remember it being perky.

Did not Harry Belafonte sing it as his famous Carnegie Hall concert?

I remember as a preschooler singing Stephen Foster song about
"darkies" with my grandmother at the piano. Dad explained that
"darkies" was not language we should use. This was perhaps 1953.
I was puzzled that a printed song would contain a bad word.
--
Canadian Mind Products, Roedy Green.
http://mi... Java custom programming, consulting and coaching.

Freedom Fighter

11/16/2005 11:45:00 AM

On Wed, 16 Nov 2005 09:01:22 GMT, "torresD" <torresd30@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>
>http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-54144...
>
>Mich. School Drops Folk Song
>
>Monday November 14, 2005 8:16 PM
>
>BERKLEY, Mich. (AP) -
>
>A song about people picking cotton
>was pulled from a middle school
>concert in suburban Detroit after
>a black parent complained that it
>glorifies slavery.
>
>Superintendent Tresa Zumsteg
>decided Monday to remove the
>song ``Pick a Bale of Cotton''
>from the program,
>
>said Gwen Ahearn,
>
>spokeswoman for the
>Berkley School District.
>
>Ahearn said that when the song
>was picked for Wednesday's folk
>songs concert at Anderson Middle School,
>there was no intent to offend anyone.
>
>``As it became apparent
>that that is the case,
>we pulled the song,'' she said.
>
>The school is predominantly white.
>
>The song's lyrics include,
>
>``Jump down, turn around,
> pick a bale of cotton.
>
>Gotta jump down, turn around,
>Oh, Lordie, pick a bale a day.''
>
>Parent Greg Montgomery said he
>complained to school officials,
>and when he was dissatisfied with
>their response,
>
>decided to pull his
>11-year-old daughter,
>China, from singing.
>
>``It's mind-boggling that people
>don't understand sensitive issues,''
>
>he told The Detroit News.
>
>China said:
>
>``They were bringing back the memories
>of how African-Americans picked cotton,
>and it wasn't a good memory.
>
>It was disrespectful to African-Americans.''
>
>Ahearn said there's nothing
>derogatory in the song's lyrics,
>but the district did not want
>China to miss the concert.
>
>``For her family and the school district,
>the best thing was to pull the song,''
>
>she said.
>
>Earlier, Ahearn,
>while confirming that officials
>were considering pulling the song,
>had defended the choice.
>
>``We used to sing that song
>when I was in school during
>the '50s,'' she said.
>
>``It's like a Southern type of folk song.
>
>I remember it being perky.
>
>It was more of a song that
>people just sang for fun.''
>
>
>
>

torresD

11/16/2005 11:47:00 AM

Robin Hood Zoro

11/16/2005 11:56:00 AM

seattle.politics

School Drops Folk Song