Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Up on my Soap Box

Oh, man, I've put my foot in my mouth again - or maybe my laptop keyboard.
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Stomp
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Stomp
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Stomp
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(That's me climbing up on my soap box)

My 17 year old daughter came home from school yesterday and was furious about a "Literacy Rally" held at school that morning. Now, you must understand, my daughter is a straight A student, is on the Student Body Council and plans to go to college in the fall. She is all about reading and education, and although she hates going to "pep rallies" for the sports teams, she got her hopes up this one would be different.

Her first complaint was the "motivational speech" the superintendent gave. She said instead of trying to pump the kids up and get them excited about reading and learning, he basically said they were all stupid. I wasn't at the rally, so I only have her commentary to go on, but she said he complained about low test scores and bad attitudes. I realize there are some bad apples in the bunch, but they aren't all slackers. Not to brag again, but my daughter's reading ACT score is 30 - she is definitely not a slacker.

Then, as a reward to celebrate literacy, they were supposed to be impressed by having a professional football player give a speech. Really, for a literacy speech, a football player?! With a beautiful Commonwealth full of talented authors and poets, the school system picks a football player to motivate the students to do better in school. My daughter would have been better served by listening to our Poet Laureate, Gurney Norman - or Silas House or Chris Offutt or Wendall Berry or Bobbie Ann Mason or Ed McClanahan - the list of great KY writers is infinite.

But the thing that really pissed her off is the Dance Team performing to a vulgar song by Kesha call Tick Tock. Really, the principal at MCSH thought these lyrics were appropriate to present at a Literacy Rally, really??
"... brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack ..."
... Pulling up to the parties trying to get a little bit tipsy ..."
... Ain't got a care in world, but got plenty of beer ..."
... Boys trying to touch my junk, junk ..."
... Don't stop, make it pop ..."
This is the same principal that censors every word the school newspaper prints - and he won't allow them to write stories on music or musicians, or certain comedians.

I don't believe in censorship, so I really don't have a problem with the lyrics. Hell, "Bat Out of Hell" is one of my favorite songs, but dangit, there is a time and place for everything and in my opinion, a public high school is not the time or place. Not all children listen to rap - I know mine doesn't (but she does love her European metal bands!), and she was embarrassed by the lyrics - mainly because of all the hormonal boys sitting around her.

Again, it's not the Dance Team (or the volleyball team or the cheerleaders or the tennis players or insert your own sport) I have a problem with - it's their choice of skimpy clothing and vulgar music. In the case of a high school presentation, in my opinion they should have performed to instrumental music. After all, I have to give signed permission for my daughter to watch R rated movies at school (for Drama and AP Literature) - but the school decides what they can listen to without consulting a parent. Many of these so called "rap" songs come with warning labels to help keep parents informed.

I'm just sick of the double standard in school - from the dress code to activities. I know it will never stop, and since my daughter only has 5 1/2 more months at this school, I'm choosing not to battle the school system.

Okay ...

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Stomp
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Stomp
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I'm stepping off my soap box ...

2 comments:

Lynn Irwin Stewart said...

Maybe I'm crazy but a motivational speech which tells the kids they are stupid is not, in my opinion, very motivational. As far as the football player, well, even if he's a brilliant guy, they could have chosen someone more "connected" to literacy, if you ask me. But I know how it is -- sports tend to be king (high school & college)around here. At my daughter's school (where my other two attended as well), I always wondered why the academic awards were given out in a short meeting but there's always a banquet for sports?!

Jordyn said...

I totally agree, this certainly wasn't very motivational. And, being almost at the end of my high school career myself, I can honestly say that it's the same at my school. It's not just a clique thing, or a popularity thing, it is the administration having a double standard. I was on the volleyball team in my freshman year and it wasn't quite as bad, but that's because our coaches were all English/Social Studies teachers.

It continues to astound me how the school systems can be so continually blind to the real problems and achievements in schools. I wish some of them could come and re-live what we go through every day. I guarantee it's different from our position--and it's certainly different from when they went to school. In fact, I don’t think any of them would make it a single day.