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A few first graders were recently banned from singing Miley Cyrus' Rainbowland as it was deemed "controversial" by Heyer Elementary School in Waukesha, Winconsin. The school's board believed that the song had a political association, i.e., LGBTQ+ rights, which is why it was taken off the setlist. Apart from this, Kermit the Frog's Rainbow Connection was also removed from the set-list.
Released on September 29, 2017, Rainbowland is the third track on Miley Cyrus' sixth studio album, Younger Now. The song also features Dolly Parton, who is Cyrus' godmother, alongside the Wrecking Ball singer.
Although Cyrus mentioned that Rainbowland was inspired by her recording studio, which was painted in different colors, Dolly Parton said it was a song about "hope and positivity in dark times." She even told Taste of Country Nights that:
"It's [Rainbowland] really about if we could love one another a little better or be a little kinder, be a little sweeter, we could live in rainbow land. It's really just about dreaming and hoping that we could all do better. It's a good song for the times right now."
Moreover, in an interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Cyrus spoke about how the song talks about the range of differences between people and how each one of us is not the same. Echoing the same sentiments as Patron, Cyrus further said:
"So it's saying if all of us are so different and we all look so different and different shades of humanity, what a rainbow we could really be and live in that land and celebrate it."
Rainbowland's lyrics explored amidst ban in Heyer Elementary School in Wisconsin
As mentioned earlier, Miley Cyrus revealed that the song talks about humanity, finding the person one loves, and living in a rainbowland of happiness where everyone can accept each other. Moreover, in one instance, Cyrus shared how she had asked Dolly Parton to join her as a special feature in the song, to which the latter said:
"How about we make this song about wanting to live in a free & safe world, you know, we all want to live in a Rainbowland?"
Cyrus loved the idea and they co-wrote the new lyrics for Rainbowland, which goes like:
“Wouldn’t it be nice to live in paradise / Where we’re free to be exactly who we are,” and “Let’s all dig down deep inside / Brush the judgment and fear aside.”
However, amid the recent controversy regarding the song's ban by Heyer Elementary School, several parents have come forward to share their opinions regarding the school board's decision and the meaning of the song.
Schindler, mother of a student from Heyer Elementary School, reportedly shared how her daughter came home excited one day and said that she will be performing one of her favorite songs, aka Rainbowland, at a school concert. However, a few days later, she was let down as the song got pulled from the show. The daughter allegedly said:
"We're not allowed to sing those songs anymore."
The school's superintendent, Jim Sebert, confirmed that the song was dropped from the event list. He quoted the school board and said:
"It was determined that 'Rainbowland'ocould be perceived as controversial."
Schindler believes that the district sees rainbows as a political symbol. She continued by saying that the recent school board decision about the song could possibly be a factor because of the rainbow's association with gay rights. However, she pointed out that the district features a rainbow on its 4K enrollment signs. She added:
“One of those is a controversial topics policy saying that teachers can’t have any kind of signage that could be deemed political. ... Discussion of pronouns with students was another thing that came up. And teachers aren’t allowed to wear rainbows.”
Another Wisconsin resident, Leigh Radichel Tracy, has her children enrolled in the district. She told The Times:
“The School District of Waukesha has really cracked down on anything LBGTQ. So this song being an ‘issue’ has not in any way come as a surprise."
Tracy added that her 17-year-old daughter had many friends who identify as a part of the LGBTQ+ community and were deeply hurt because of the board's decision. She added:
“All that Miley and Dolly are saying is that they want to live in a world that is accepting, with no judgment and where people can be who they want to be. It’s so sad that this is seen as a ‘controversial issue’ by the School District of Waukesha. It’s a song about a beautiful place of acceptance.”
Schindler believed that the fuss over the first-grade concert was silly and that rainbows were associated with springtime in children’s minds. She listened to the song repeatedly and tried to decide why it was considered controversial.
She added that she was aware of Miley Cyrus' past for talking about drug use and sexuality and Dolly Parton supporting drag queens, but couldn't understand the ban on Rainbowland - a song about inclusivity. In her opinion, after the extreme policies that have been put into place by the school board in the past few years, the principals and teachers have started to second-guess the school's choices in context with the policies.
Moreover, a tweet on Thursday, March 23, 2023, from Tempel said that Kermit the Frog's Rainbow Connection was also added to the set list after numerous parents complained to the school administrators. However, Schindler said that Rainbowland remains banned due to it being too "controversial" for first-grade students.
