Newest member of the BANNED music list;"Proud to be an American" struck from school graduation

The song has been sung to rousing ovations in previous presentations at this school but, when the principal overheard it during a rehearsal for graduation, she stormed in and ordered the CD turned off saying that the song "Might offend some students."

School pulls patriotic song at graduation, but Justin Bieber's 'Baby' is OK

A controversial Coney Island principal has pulled the plug on patriotism.

Her refusal to let students sing “God Bless the USA” at their graduation has sparked fireworks at a school filled with proud immigrants.

Greta Hawkins, principal of PS 90, the Edna Cohen School, won’t allow kindergartners to belt out the beloved Lee Greenwood ballad, also known as “Proud to be an American,” at their moving-up ceremony.

The curt edict stunned both staff and parents.

“A lot of people fought to move to America to live freely, so that song should be sung with a whole lot of pride,” said mom Luz Lozada, whose son, Daniel, is in kindergarten.

The song has been sung at previous school events. Last year’s fifth-graders, including another Lozada child, performed it at graduation.

NYP

Yep, its gotten pretty bad when this song can be considered offensive in the USA.


The article says that even the immigrants in the school love it because it reminds them why they came here.

The problem lies with the new principal who has had other issues with the staff over her "racist attitude" and refusal to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance every morning

The principal, a Jehovah’s Witness, does not recite the pledge because her religion forbids followers to salute any nation’s flag. Staffers gripe she doesn’t stand in respect during the school-wide ritual.

The song uproar comes amid tensions. Hawkins has been called a tyrant and bully by some staffers.

The DOE reprimanded her in 2010 after teachers complained she called the school “racist” and declared: “I’m black. Your previous principal was white and Jewish. More of us are coming.”

I'm just surprised she didn't object to the mention of "God" in the song.

Maybe she's just acknowledging that the song is inaccurate because the flag doesn't stand for freedom anymore.

oh, that says it all. A Jehovah's Witness.

The least tolerant of the "tolerant Christian religions".

reply to post by FortAnthem

I would prefer this song as the other one has been played so many times it now annoys the heck out of me. But I do think it was wrong for the principle to do what she did.

Originally posted by babybunnies
oh, that says it all. A Jehovah's Witness.

The least tolerant of the "tolerant Christian religions".

I was a JW for a few years, I don't consider them Christians, and they don't consider themselves Christian, they set themselves apart and condemn everyone else.

While as a musician / somgwriter / music fan I don't like the songs mentioned, they express a patriotic sentiment that should not be abridged or alienated..
IMHO
the beatch should be fired out of a cannon in defence of free speech

the Cougar tune is not bad though...much less smarmy then the others

reply to post by FortAnthem


I agree with the schools principal,
Why would we want to pump our children up with nationalistic propaganda?
I say let them decide if god bless the USA or if god blessed the USA and we screwed that up.
The situation is similar to ATS, you can believe what you want all you want, just don't believe it on my media.

"godbless the USA" wasn't the question
it's so smarmy
"proud to be an american" is much less monotheistic, and is almost considered a standard patriotic ditty
if the kids wanted it I think it would be a better choice then any gangsta rap

She better be glad she's in 2012

and refusal to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance every morning

that right there would have probably been enough to charge her with treason. failure to stand and salute your freedom would be like slapping your dad....not very smart,

She should be fired, I'll do it gladly with a plane ticket to where she came from, with do not return deportation

The principal has quite a rep for being a small minded bully. As a New Yorker, I can tell you, there are far too many of these type of educators in this city.

Greta Hawkins is a horrible principal. She is out to destroy lives and careers. She is out to destroy what was once a good school. Period.

She is a bully. You can't defend yourself against her because she is always right - no matter what!

This principal does not know what harm she has done to a wonderful school. Although the school has been rated an A by Bloombergs standards, (the school was an A for two years before Ms. Hawkins came to PS 90) the state has determined that PS 90 is a school in Corrective Action. This means that it is as school that is failing

teachervoice.com...

This principal has been a pain to that poor school since she first got there.

City scolds Coney Island principal Greta Hawkins for offending staffers

Hawkins addressed the issue of race at a June 10 meeting in the school auditorium and many of her staff didn't like what she said.

"I'm black. Your previous principal was white and Jewish," said Hawkins, according to the DOE investigation. "More of us are coming."

A dozen teachers and two paraprofessionals who were at the meeting filed a complaint about Hawkins' remarks in June.

They alleged that Hawkins called the school a "racist building," but the DOE did not substantiate that claim.

Teachers are split on whether Hawkins' punishment is appropriate.

"If I said those things, I'd be fired," said a teacher who wouldn't give her name because she fears retribution. "The principal should be removed. She divided the staff and she's ruining the school."

NYT


You should read the reviews she gets from the teachers who work under her.

One-line Summary: Toxic place to work.


Please review this principal in your own words: Greta Hawkins is vindictive and malicious towards everyone who is not in her close circle of trusted employes until she decides they are no longer useful to her


What advice would you give to a teacher working with this principal? Dont work here. Find another place as far away as possible. For your peace of mind and job security

Review of Principal Greta Hawkins submitted by a teacher

That's just the first one. There are a few teachers who defend her but, for the most part, hardly anybody has anything good to say for her. I think her few defenders may be motivated by white guilt.

These reviews were from way before this most recent incident. I wonder how well she'll do next time they have reviews?

reply to post by Maluhia

She is a bully. You can't defend yourself against her because she is always right - no matter what!

I love people like that, my wife has a mom like this, and lets just say she doesn't talk to me unless she has to lol

Google has ended so many of my arguments, and pissed off a lot so called know-it-alls....I dont need Google but some people need proof and can't handle the truth.

reply to post by mytheroy

my wife has a mom like this

My daughter has a mom like this - but she's lucky because I am always right........j/k! lol
Couldn't resist. Off topic. Now back to bad principals.

Principal of Edna Cohen School a Racist Anti-Semite?

Hawkins, a graduate of the Mayor's Leadership Academy, reportedly called the school a "racist building" because, in her opinion, it has too few non-white teachers.

This woman's a real prize!

bayridgejournal.blogspot.com...

ETA - Fort Anthem already mentioned this - oh well - at least another source.

Sure, I know a lot of us are fed up with knee-jerk, jingoistic, flag waving nationalism and this song is one of the better examples of it but, I still don't think a principal should, completely on her own, without consulting the teachers or parents, decide that the song is "offensive" and summarily ban it.

You would think that there should be some type of check and balances on her power. They'll never do anything against her though. She's a black principal at a minority school with 90% of her teaching staff being white. No matter how horrible a job she does at that school, they will always blame all the problems on the "racist" teachers fighting against her.

Its the Obama administration in microcosm. Everybody opposes them because they are black; it has nothing to do with their policies or abuse of power.

I could have sworn I read about the original incident where she called the school a "racist building" here on ATS but, I can't find it anywhere.

Im not proud to be an American when I hear stories like this.

How did she become Principal ?

Thats the scary part.

Originally posted by babybunnies
oh, that says it all. A Jehovah's Witness.

The least tolerant of the "tolerant Christian religions".

and everybody thought it would be some commie liberal type, right?? nah, just a radical religous nut...oh, ok, well that's different, so long as we have our freedoms and liberty protected.

That pisses me off! If the students chose the song then it should be honored. What a freaking crock of BS. I LOVE that song. I am proud to be an American, I am proud to be part of something even grander!

This song never made much sense to me... It's pretty heavy on God yet glorifies pride, which is a sin in the bible. Besides that working as a pyrotechnician(fireworks) for years this song now makes my ears bleed I've heard it so many times. Seems like the Christians and the liberals could find common ground on this one and ban it from all events.

Good. This song is terrible. Have you ever actually read the lyrics? They are awful, trite and meaningless. It sounds like a parody it so cheesy.

Originally posted by Danbones
"godbless the USA" wasn't the question
it's so smarmy
"proud to be an american" is much less monotheistic, and is almost considered a standard patriotic ditty
if the kids wanted it I think it would be a better choice then any gangsta rap

How the hell does gangsta rap coincide with the subject matter of the post?

Well I am a Jehova's Witness and tolerance is a personal choice not a religious edict. I don't remember any religion being terribly tolerant. Also if i weren't that tolerant then I would probably not come to a site like this.
All I can do is ask that everyone quit lumping anyone in a bunch and painting them the same color. I might not stand for the pledge either: However; I according to my faith, cannot make or force anyone to make that choice for themself. This is only one, small-minded bully that acts according to her own will, not that of our maker.