"Baa, baa rainbow sheep"

[pascy]

Just wondered how people felt about changing nursery rhymes, stories etc for political correctness?

[Caligula]

It's utterly absurd. It anticipates an offence that isn't there. And it promotes ignorance - I can't believe how many people there are out there who still think that nursery rhyme is connected with the slave trade.

[Piffle]

My dd's nursery do black sheep and white sheep and some other nonsense about one for the rabbit one for the cat and one for the guinea pig to knit up a hat.
FFS

[GDG]

Well I sing the usual words and I couldn't give a stuff. I'm sure my 18 month old isn't reading anything too sinister into it!

[FairyMum]

Who are changing them? I thought this was a bit of an urban myth. In our nursery they still sing black sheep.

[ellceeell]

There are some of the stories behind nursery rhymes \link{http://www.rhymes.org.uk\here} - although I don't know if they are accurate. dd2 makes up her own versions anyway!

[NotQuiteCockney]

I think this is an urban myth, too. One of those things that someone says as a joke, but then someone else takes seriously ...

[Kelly1978]

I agree with gdc. All getting absurd imo.

[LillyPink]

I saw this story on the Wanadoo news page and it is real. I think it is ridiculous.

[foxinsocks]

they had the nursery woman (where they have done this) on radio 5 the other day

I can't remember why she said they had changed the word - something to do with them doing colours that week at nursery (sounded totally innocent and not a PC reason).

[Caligula]

Here we are, here's the story according to the \link{http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4782856.stm\BBC}

[NotQuiteCockney]

Ok, so it's real. But not about PC, just about a nursery having fun with the words to a nursery rhyme.

[Caligula]

Yes it was about colours. Only if it comes out of Birmingham, is it likely to be true.

[Kidstrack2]

when ds was at nursery, they changed it to ba ba ba sheep, while i still sang the black sheep as i thought he couldn't say it, but turned out that was the way they were taught, personally i think its silly, as it has always been black sheep, and you get black sheep so i don't see the problem!

[desperateSCOUSEwife]

quangos, is all I can say

[mawbroon]

I've just read some of the meanings behind nursery rhymes on ellceeells link. Blimey, I knew some of them were gory, but Mary Mary Quite Contrary is brutal!

Would make me change the words though

[mawbroon]

DOH. WOULDN'T make me change the words.

[wannaBe1974]

If the nursery just did it because they were doing colours then it's all very innocent and for someone to then take it out of proportion and say that it's because of politica correctness is truely pathetic. And where do you draw the line, amusing to think what else we could change ...
The ugly duckling would of course have to be changed to the duckling who had low self esteem about his looks, 3 blind mice would need to be changed to 3 visually impaired mice, now what elsee ...

[yoyo]

Humpty Dumpty has been banned in some schools as it uspsets the children apparently! My DS has been asking why the "pig got eat" in Tom, Tom the Piper's Son so I suppose that one is banned somewhere. I used to love "the stairs went crack, the old man broke his back and all the little ducks went quack, quack, quack" in Goosey, Goosey Gander.

[nulnulcat]

didnt goosey gander chuck the old man down the stairs! age concern will be wanting there say! ding dong bell sees the cat getting drowned, and violent films get all the blame!! think nursery rhymes are pretty violent! but does any one take them seriously? cant ban everything! trying to ban hot cross buns in schools apparently

[cod]

agree abotu these thigns normally being myths adn totally missreported

[homemama]

Quite possibly, although I have a teaching friend who was told off by an OFSTED inspector for saying black board. She was told she must say chalk board.
For goodness sake, it's a board and it's black. How can that be offensive to anyone?

I also remember the Muslim Council for GB complaining that the Home Office had gone PC mad for rejecting the passport photo of the 9mth old who didn't have a top on on the grounds that Muslims may find it offensive. As the MCGB spokesperson said, why would anyone, Muslim or otherwise take offense at a picture of a baby.

I sometimes wonder if the people who think up these changes are causing more offense by insulting the intelligence and integrity of the people they claim to be protecting.

[MarsLady]

now let me see.... black sheep.... sheep produce wool.... black sheep have you any wool?..... hmmmmmmmmmmm no problems there!

I so hate this type of thing. Drives me mad. I remember when it was banned by this council. Blimming barking.... the only people not upset by the rhyme..... black people! Gah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!