To want heads on platters? Utterly inappropriate school assembly

[Renarde1975]

This is a fucking corker. I am fuming but I'd like the hive minds' view.

At DS assembly today. Topic is 'Evacuation: WW2'. All good. Actually, they've done a great job and it's really excellent. Then this.

Towards the end, Christine Aguilera's 'Candyman' comes on. I'm watching open mouthed. I still cannot believe it.

MN: let me refresh you on the 'choicest' lyrics.

He's a one stop shop, makes the panties drop

He took me to the Spider club on Hollywood and Vine
We drank champagne, and we danced all night

He's a one stop shop, makes my cherry pop

And no, MN - this was NOT the radio edit.

And then to cap it all off for some inexplicable reason we are treated to two renditions of Don't Stop Believin' by Journey

A singer in a smoky room
A smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on, and on, and on

WTAF? Did I smoke crack this morning and enter into a parallel dimension? I am a teacher, that another member of my profession could fuck up so royally is just, wow.

I don't want my nine year old son to be singing this in a school assembly, or listening to words that objectify women and glorify alcohol. Turns out the kids were practicing the dance moves to Candyman for three weeks!

I would say something. I am not familiar with Candyman. But if there is a radio edit that's the version to play not the original. I would be cross about not using 40s music. I do listen to the lyrics in songs. I do turn the radio off for some. I particularly dislike Robin Thicke. (I know you want it, you're a good girl etc).

Total agreement with you tell

*I realise my comments make me sound like a Pearl Clutcher to many. > pulls cardi on closer and drinks sweet tea

I’d be the same as you OP but then again I won’t even let my children listen to the radio, CBeebies CDs-are fine for us! I’d have to have a little word, I agree with others it’s fine what you let your kids listen to you in your own home but it’s inappropriate for school to allow such songs.

YANBU. I am a teacher and would find use of Candyman for that age group totally inappropriate. If it was used in that situation for either of my children in year 3 (or 4), I hope I wouldn't be the only parent having a quiet word.

I wouldn't have thought that the fact that some won't understand the lyrics is the point tbh.

Why use the rip off "Candyman" rather than "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy"?

I agree with you OP. They could have used Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy which has a very similar tune, and it is a contemporary song of WW2 so would have been far more appropriate for young children.

yeah, lyrics wash over them... like that time that my DCs' school decided to get them to dance to despacito, I really would have liked the teacher who had that brilliant idea to have been the one asked by the kids to translate the lyrics instead of poor me!!

I am with you OP, unnecessary, and if you have kids like mine, who ASK, very likely to end up being embarrassing!

I agree that Candyman in a school setting is pretty inappropriate - out of interest, what sort of dance were they doing?

However, I've always forced allowed my kids to listen to my music rather than godawful nursery rhymes and the like, and they have a broad and eclectic knowledge of modern music. They sing blissfully along to the lyrics not knowing or caring what they're singing (although I draw the line at Blurred Lines).

I am at the lyrics to Chain Reaction!!

Love your update OP.

Whay I find odd is the resistance amongst many to saying anything is inappropriate for kids.

The outrageous part is that the person in charge couldn't come up with any music that was from the correct period. For that YANBU

I wouldn’t like that song selection. I would be asking questions. As for the choir and “Timber” clutched my pearls enough to require a restring now knitting a lovely twinset ! Are these folks lyric blind ?

but then again I won’t even let my children listen to the radio, CBeebies CDs-are fine for us!

Your 9yo listens to Cbeebies CDs. Okaaaaay.

I have a 10yo and the stuff they sing along too on the radio is . They have no idea unless the word 'sex' is actually used. I remember singing yelling "Like a Virgin, touched for the very first time" when I was about 9!

There's a really sweet Sammy Davis Jr (Ok a bit saccharine) song called Candy Man from the sixties. I couldn't see the relevance to WWII but it's more appropriate for kids.
Again, so many WWII songs that would've sounded poignant sung by kids in 2018.

I honestly thought this was going to be a good and justified post.. I'm so disappointed.

There's much worse songs on the radio everyday, have you listened to Little Mix lately? Doesn't stop thousands of young girls knowing their songs and going to concerts.

Then again, I've been listening to Eminem since I was 11.

Love your update OP [grins] @Oats

out of interest, what sort of dance were they doing?

Well, frankly, this nearly tipped me over the edge. I'm pretty sure that the four kids were doing the jive whilst the class hand-jived. But that's 50's isn't it?

Then, with a nod to 'political correctness', they paired the two girls up and the two boys up. BTW I mean PC not that they were same sex but well, 'We couldn't let opposite sexes dance together!'

So the inference then is that boys and girls together are 'dangerous' somehow but single sex is 'safe'?

Now I come to think of it and considering that they ended up with the Glee song, maybe this is the school starting a whole raft of inappropriate song medleys.

Next time, we might get 'My neck, my back' or perhaps 'Me so horny'.

Where will it end!!!

Nursery rhymes are good for language development that's why they're used in preschool settings, it's not about being twee.

Pop music is not that challenging and this is the part I worry about as well, it's not just about wanting wholesome experiences for my junior child. There is so much time for chart music when they get older why shorten childhood and bring it on prematurely, it's just depressing!

The whole Timber thing was revealed today when I asked DD1 to sing what she is doing choir whilst I was doing the girls hair - I am still 

I agree @missperegrinespeculiar it is the misogyny that I find particularly tough - this message that girls will be doing what the men want even if they say no - it's just grim

The teacher will laugh at you. Then they will talk about you in the staffroom and everyone will laugh at you and how utterly ridiculous you are

This wouldn’t happen in my school - like the OP, if this happened one of us would have a quiet word with the colleague concerned. The lyrics to Candyman are inappropriate and we wouldn’t presume to make what should be a parenting decision.

Probably not the best choice but heads on platters is a bit much.
A lot of songs in the charts these days have vile lyrics. Look at 5yos girls fave Little Mix. Their lyrics would likely make your hair curl!

I stand corrected on the jive. It's from the 30's.

Hand jiving does come from the 40's but was popularised towards the end of the 50's.

To be fair Needsanewname whilst I wouldn't necessarily recommend Eminem for a kids choir or dance there is actual artistic and song writing pedigree in a lot of his material. 8 Mile was an incredible film too.

I think you're slightly overreacting, but these days people seem to feel the need to turn the outrage up to 11 at the drop of a hat.

I do agree though that Candyman wasn't appropriate. Journey wouldn't have bothered me. You're a teacher, so you'll know the right way to raise a complaint, what resolution to seek, and how to escalate it.

I take it Riquesh that you are also a teacher?

I did think that the 'laughing' comment was particularly unpleasant.

Call me an old gimmer, but for me the point is this: why choose this particular song when there are so many others to pick from?

Gaaa posted too soon. I excel at this.

Whereas typical popular music by girl groups especially has a tendency for: Not many clothes, sexy dance moves, no artistic substance. And then it's heralded as EMPOWERING. If that's all your material ever presents I'm not so sure it is, feels all about the male gaze to me.

Sorry I'm derailing and sounding more like my Nan by the minute.