Ks2 assembly inappropriate song -

[Suziki]

Dear all,
My friend's son has just turned 8 and is in yr2. There is a newly graduated class teacher who introduced the Forest of Doom by Ian livingstone ( which is an interesting fantasy book but really for early teens and not 7_8yr olds) last month using the book and interactive version as a gami ng book. It gave him nightmares and my friend was told by the head that they couldn't change a lesson plan for one child.

My friend wasn't impressed with this response understandably and now the same class teacher has given out Baz Luhrmann's 'Everybody's free to wear sunscreen' to the class to sing at assembly.

I agree with my friend that the song is too heavy and in some parts pretty inappropriate and creepy for 7 year olds to sing. What do you think?

The lyrics are as below

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of '99
Wear Sunscreen
If I could offer you only one tip for the future,
Sunscreen would be it
The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists
whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience...
I will dispense this advice now...1

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth
oh nevermind;
you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded
But trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at photos of yourself
and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before
you and how fabulous you really looked...

You are not as fat as you imagine
Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as
effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum
The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that
never crossed your worried mind

the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday

Do one thing everyday that scares you

Lyrics continue below

Sing
Don't be reckless with other people's hearts

don't put up with people who are reckless with yours

Floss
Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind...

the race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself
Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults

if you succeed in doing this, tell me how

Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements

Stretch
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life...
the most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives
some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don't

Get plenty of calcium
Be kind to your knees, you'll miss them when they're gone
Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't
maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't
maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding
anniversary...
what ever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either
your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's

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Enjoy your body

use it every way you can...

don't be afraid of it, or what other people think of it

it's the greatest instrument you'll ever own

Dance...even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room
Read the directions, even if you don't follow them
Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly

Get to know your parents, you never know when they'll be gone for good
Be nice to your siblings
they are the best link to your past
and the people most likely to stick with you in the future

Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on
Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle

because the older you get
the more you need the people you knew when you were young
Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard
live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft
Travel
Accept certain inalienable truths
prices will rise
politicians will philander
you too will get old, and when you do you'll fantasize that when you were young
prices were reasonable
politicians were noble
and children respected their elders
Respect your elders
Don't expect anyone else to support you
Maybe you have a trust fund
maybe you have a wealthy spouse
but you never know when either one might run out
Don't mess too much with your hair
or by the time you're 40, it will look 85
Be careful whose advice you buy, but
be patient with those who supply it
Advice is a form of nostalgia
dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off
painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth
But trust me on the sunscreen

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Read more: Baz Luhrmann - Everybody's Free (to Wear Sunscreen) Lyrics | MetroLyrics

It’s KS2 so years 3 to 6.

The parent you is being twat.
It's fine.

Its a great monologue, very much don't sweat the small stuff, be true to yourself, good positive vibes!

There is nothing inappropriate with the song. May go over their heads a bit but it's certainly good advice, much of which won't be lost of them-like flossing. Cannot comment on the book as it haven't read it. A bit at using a game to teach them about a book though-seems a bit lazy and pointless, much like showing a film adaptation.

Considering we sang wasn't me by shaggy in our year 6 leavers assembly

Reminds me of when I was in the top class at Primary School, and a group of the 'cool' girls sang 'Big Spender' in assembly. They performed very well and it has always stuck in my mind. Was many years later that I started to think maybe some of the lyrics weren't entirely age-appropriate!

There is nothing in what you have typed that is offensive, which is what I was expecting when you said 'inappropriate', and I think that is what a lot of posters are responding to.
However, I agree with you that it seems a spectacularly wrong song to give to such young children, as it will clearly go right over their heads. So, from the pov of 'is this really the best / most appropriate {and therefore are the dc most likely to learn anything from it} stuff she can find ? Then I'd agree with you OP, it seems a poor choice.

I don't know the first book you linked to, (so, taking your word for the content) but I also agree you should not be using books that might upset / frighten children / books that are written for teens, with 7 & 8 year olds.

Am quite surprised there aren't more replies that agree.

So OP, what is it, the child is in year 2 or 8 years old? It can't be both.

I teach year 3 and I can't see any problem with the song. My class love singing Livin' on a prayer, mama Mia, Don't stop believing and other songs like that. Not familiar with the book though so won't comment on that.

This is bringing back memories of someone’s primary school age child asking to sing Chain Reaction at a family karaoke event. None of the adults had ever actually listened to the lyrics before, and there was a horrified pause when we all realised what the song was about before about 10 people simultaneously dived for the off switch.

Sunscreen has nothing on that.

I think that's a fantastic song for that age group.

Unusual layout, new ideas. Of course they won't grasp all of them, but that's kind of the point.
It will stretch each child differently. Very clever of the teacher.

The teacher is being very creative and bringing in lots of disciplines through this one song.

I did my degree in EY teaching, where creativity in conveying new ideas to chn is key to them absorbing them.

I think it's great.

DD is 6, she responds well to song lyrics, always engaged by what they are, I'm sure lots of kids would enjoy it. One of her favourite songs has lots of meaning, Pink Floyd, Another Brick in the Wall (part 2), which of course has lots of negative connotations about education, a lot more than sunscreen.

She wasn't particularly engaged with sunscreen when she heard it a few weeks back, but I can certainly imagine some kids being, like everyone else it seems entirely appropriate.

I though Ian Livingstone books were aimed at primary. I remember some of the boys being really into them and the school had a number of them anyway.

I think it's a pity that schools seem to have often defaulted to instead of learning (as we did) folk songs etc to a piano, it generally tends to be pop songs with a backing track.
I remember our head used to explain anything in the songs we might not understand-"...'ave to buy grub on the slate..." "... stable rude and bare..." that sort of thing. I think if they started trying to explain some of the lyrics ds has come home singing then the head would be all colours of the rainbow and preparing for parental complaints

But that song isn't bad either. it's got a nice message. Fairly in line with the cheesy letters that go out every year along the lines of "this school doesn't care about SATS results and thinks you're ace..."

Having said that our school choir in the 70s/80s did Sloop John B as their signature piece and I was a little bit when I saw the lyrics as an adult. But as a child the lines "drinking all night, got into a fight etc." passed totally over my head.

The books are great sounds like an inspiring teacher

Oh, I love that song

Love that song

You seem very invested in a situation which really should only be of concern for your friend! You don't even know the teacher and if you can't work out whether your friend's son is in Yr 2 OR 8 years old because it won't be both, then I suggest that you just keep your thoughts to yourself!

That's a great song

It's a great song but I used it with Yr7s once and they didn't get it, so I doubt 7-8 yr olds would have a clue what it was on about. I think you need to be at least 13+ for that song to have meaning for you.

Is it only me that think this post is very malicious against the teacher?
OP claims she isn't even a parent of a child in her/his class.
She doesn't know, or not even in the position to find out/ask why the teacher chose this song.

I did wonder why op was getting involved?

The kids may die of boredom but other than that...

irvine I think she's the friend 🙄

And yes. I think it is too.