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Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song

By TChris, Section Civil Liberties
Posted on Fri May 05, 2006 at 08:50:52 AM EST
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by TChris

When schools censor the political expression of students, they teach kids that the Constitution is meaningless. That's the wrong lesson.

Camille Pontillo, the principal of Park Springs Elementary in Coral Springs, Florida, needs to learn a lesson of her own. Pontillo's school is having a talent show, but Pontillo won't allow 10-year-old Molly Shoul to sing Pink's new song, "Dear Mr. President." Pontillo doesn't think students should sing songs that are "too political."

Molly's mother nails it:

"If this was a student singing a pro-administration song, no one would quibble with it," Shoul said. "The principal is just running scared and doesn't want to upset any parents."

Schools should encourage political debate, even when the debaters are in grade school.

"It's as if the principal's worst nightmare is for intellectual debate and controversy to break out in a classroom," [Howard] Simon said.

A Broward County School District spokesperson claims that "the principal has every right to determine what music her students should hear at a school function." If the principal were inviting outside performers to the school, that might be true. This principal is censoring the viewpoints that students are allowed to express. That's a different issue. The protection of political speech is at the core of the First Amendment, and students don't lose their First Amendment rights by complying with laws that require them to attend school.

The District should have learned that lesson last year when it threatened to suspend a student for wearing a T-shirt with the face of President Bush and the phrase "International Terrorist." The School Board changed course when the ACLU threatened to sue. It's likely to change course in Molly's case, as well.

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    Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song | 31 comments (31 topical)
    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#1)
    by kdog on Fri May 05, 2006 at 09:34:38 AM EST
    Who needs freedom when people "might get upset"? Unbelievable. Another bueracrat afraid of freedom...that list is getting looong.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri May 05, 2006 at 09:46:12 AM EST
    What if a student wanted to sing a song advocating the deportation of illegal aliens? How would you feel about that?

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#3)
    by Dadler on Fri May 05, 2006 at 09:46:35 AM EST
    The abundance of weak school administrators, along with all the simply useless and extraneous ones, are probably the biggest drain on education in the nation.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#4)
    by Edger on Fri May 05, 2006 at 09:50:43 AM EST
    "The principal is just running scared and doesn't want to upset any parents." I hope he upsets a lot of them as well as Molly's mother, and they let him know it in no uncertain terms. Loudly. Repeatedly. And very publicly.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#5)
    by Dadler on Fri May 05, 2006 at 09:52:11 AM EST
    JRT, As long as they're not advocating violence or racism or proselytizing and such, let them sing whatever they want about. Especially about politics. That's how this liberal feels about it anyway.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri May 05, 2006 at 09:56:12 AM EST
    I agree, but I feel that liberals tend to want to censor the free speech of those that don't agree with them. For example a "deport illegal aliens" t-shirt would be called racist, although illegal aliens come from all races.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#7)
    by kdog on Fri May 05, 2006 at 10:03:14 AM EST
    What if a student wanted to sing a song advocating the deportation of illegal aliens? How would you feel about that?
    I'd say sing away...my fellow free American. Then I would voice my disagreement with the position.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#8)
    by jondee on Fri May 05, 2006 at 10:07:25 AM EST
    JRT - You're going to have to come up with some concrete (as opposed to theoretical) examples of liberal censorship. If that strawman were any bigger, it would be rampaging through Tokyo.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#9)
    by Johnny on Fri May 05, 2006 at 10:08:48 AM EST
    Maybe that crazy Toby Keith tune, you know, the one where the cowboys go out and hang people, then proceed to abuse their animals by making them drink alcoholic beverages? I don't have a problem with any student singing any song, whatsoever. The fear of feeling uncomfortable because someone is exercising the first amendment is just too bad. I learned long ago to change the channel when something on TV offends me. Like the SOTU, or anything the smirkmeister does. It is a poor soul that feels they need to suppress someones right to express themselves. Extremely Un-American.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri May 05, 2006 at 10:24:06 AM EST
    Posted by Jondee May 5, 2006 11:07 AM JRT - You're going to have to come up with some concrete (as opposed to theoretical) examples of liberal censorship. If that strawman were any bigger, it would be rampaging through Tokyo.
    This is exactly what I am talking about

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#11)
    by squeaky on Fri May 05, 2006 at 10:33:33 AM EST
    Great analogy JRT. A principal who has total authority over the students vs. and unruly crowd of liberals who are challenging authority in protest. WOW. You must have done really poorly on the analogy part of IQ et al tests.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#12)
    by roy on Fri May 05, 2006 at 10:34:19 AM EST
    JRT & Jondee, You might want to load up FIRE's Torch every few days. You'll see unconstitutional censorship of liberal, conservative, and other viewpoints on a sadly regular basis. These are usually pretty carefully researched, too, at least eventually.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#13)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri May 05, 2006 at 10:58:24 AM EST
    Dadler writes:
    The abundance of weak school administrators, along with all the simply useless and extraneous ones, are probably the biggest drain on education in the nation.
    I didn't know you were paying very much attention to the University of Colorado and the Churchill matter.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri May 05, 2006 at 10:58:51 AM EST
    Not challenging authority Squeaky- refusing to let speakers speak.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#15)
    by jen on Fri May 05, 2006 at 11:02:25 AM EST
    If I were a principal in an elementary school I might forbid a student from singing a really raunchy song, but political? Why bother? As long as it isn't hateful or violent.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#16)
    by squeaky on Fri May 05, 2006 at 11:03:42 AM EST
    JRT-It was the Q & A portion. Still not remotely a reasonable analogy.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#17)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri May 05, 2006 at 11:05:59 AM EST
    Here you go

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#18)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri May 05, 2006 at 11:08:42 AM EST
    Oh, so it has to be during the speech to count?

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#19)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri May 05, 2006 at 11:12:24 AM EST
    Not even the queen bee of liberals is safe from liberal hecklers

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#20)
    by Dadler on Fri May 05, 2006 at 11:43:41 AM EST
    Jim, Too-shay, I suppose. But, um, you make my point. The U of C administration took heat for NOT censoring, while this grade school principal is taking hear FOR censoring this student. Let freedom ring AND sing.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#21)
    by azbballfan on Fri May 05, 2006 at 12:08:00 PM EST
    Good story to raise an important point about censorship. However, in this case I will side with the Principal only on the basis that these are 10 year old kids. I would be afraid that allowing such a public demonstration on a highly political issue such as condemning our President is likely to stoke the fires which cause fights in the shoolyard. I remember back in those days when the kids who liked to get in fights loved stuff like this to happen. It ensured they would be busy for at least a week.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#22)
    by squeaky on Fri May 05, 2006 at 12:40:42 PM EST
    JRT- A much quoted line. one of ppj's favorites. Bush, Rummy too. Democracy is messy. Cream pie and the subject of the thread are not analogies. If the principal thought that the song by Pink would cause disturbances than all political songs, flags et al would have to be banned. Selective banning for partisan political reasons would cause a sit in or riot in another era. You have little ability to make like comparisons. Give it up.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#23)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri May 05, 2006 at 01:20:19 PM EST
    The subject is free speech and I cited several examples of liberals preventing free speech.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#25)
    by azbballfan on Fri May 05, 2006 at 03:09:39 PM EST
    Oscar, True, but I doubt the 10 year old understands the song. I wouldn't want my 10 year old daughter to sing a song which references whisky and cocaine. I wonder if her parents put her up to it, or if she is just a Pink fan.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#26)
    by azbballfan on Fri May 05, 2006 at 03:20:43 PM EST
    Oscar, real quick - I also wouldn't want my 10 year old daughter to sing Where Eagles Soar. Partly because of the lame content, but mostly because no-one should have to be reminded of Ashcroft's vomit inducing rendition.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#27)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri May 05, 2006 at 04:04:35 PM EST
    azbballfan. On your first post, hmmm maybe, the kids this side of the pond are worldly wise to the Nth degree, they are drug aware and street wise from an early age, openness is the norm.
    but I doubt the 10 year old understands the song.
    Maybe maybe not, we cannot know, but there are kids of that age that are quite aware both politicaly and socialy. Still it will be interesting to see the outcome. On your second post. The best belly laugh I've had in a long time, you're right on the money with that one. Some folks have no shame, I wouldn't have a clue to his name, but how could I ever forget the tear shedding of some wuss of a senator giving as you put it "vomit inducing rendition" before the senate and CSpan to boot.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#28)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri May 05, 2006 at 04:40:04 PM EST
    azbballfan. It was Coburn, the nausiating little wretch. Also found another one, Voinovich, weeping big crocodiles over the appointment of Bolton to the UN. Tears over Bolton! for christ's sake. The pair of them should still be in hiding if they had one ounce of shame. Barf.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#29)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri May 05, 2006 at 04:55:28 PM EST
    JRT, I agree that the examples you give demonstrate there are liberals who behavior is antithetical to free expression. But there is an important difference between the actions of individuals exercising a "heckler's veto" and a principal taking advantage of governmental authority to practice censorship. The original post was not so much about free speech generally as it was about the First Amendment, which specifically limits government action against free speech.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#30)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri May 05, 2006 at 05:24:18 PM EST
    This surprises me because Coral Springs is in very blue Broward County. The references to whiskey, cocaine and other things might be weighing in here, since she's only ten and it's pretty heavy material for an elementary school talent show. I love Pink and the song is one of my current favorites, but I just had to play the devil's advocate for a moment here.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#31)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri May 05, 2006 at 07:09:13 PM EST
    Posted by parse May 5, 2006 05:55 PM JRT, I agree that the examples you give demonstrate there are liberals who behavior is antithetical to free expression. But there is an important difference between the actions of individuals exercising a "heckler's veto" and a principal taking advantage of governmental authority to practice censorship. The original post was not so much about free speech generally as it was about the First Amendment, which specifically limits government action against free speech.
    Fair enough, but then you would have to apply the same principle when the Dixie Chicks or Michael Moore or some other Hollywood type complains about "free speech" being stifled.

    Re: Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song (none / 0) (#32)
    by squeaky on Fri May 05, 2006 at 08:01:55 PM EST
    The subject is free speech and I cited several examples of liberals preventing free speech
    Right. What is that? Some kind of abstract logic that has nothing to do with reality. It is true, as Colbert remarked reality does have a liberal bias. You guys are through the looking glass.

    Principal Wants to Ban Pink Song | 31 comments (31 topical)