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A first-grade class at Heyer Elementary School in Waukesha County, Wisconsin had been preparing for their spring concert with a theme of world unity and peace. The concert included songs like "It's a Small World" in Spanish, and "Here Comes the Sun" by The Beatles, along with "Rainbowland," a 2017 duet by Miley Cyrus and her godmother, Dolly Parton. The lyrics of the song advocate for inclusion and the class loved it immediately.
However, within a day of the students learning the song, the school administration asked the teacher to remove it from the concert. According to a school board policy on controversial issues in the classroom, the district stated that the lyrics of "Rainbowland" could be deemed controversial. The policy defines a "controversial issue" as one that may be the subject of intense public argument or may have political, social, or personal impacts on the community.
The teacher expressed that the song is not just a song, but is meant to support inclusivity and the love and acceptance of who we are, which is not political. When asked why "Rainbowland" was deemed controversial, the school district superintendent did not provide any specific reasons.
School Districts Across the US Remove Rainbow Imagery
Melissa Tempel, a dual-language instructor at Heyer Elementary School in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, is concerned that the ban on Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton's song "Rainbowland" is connected to a wider effort to limit discussions about LGBTQ issues in schools. Tempel explained that school district officials attempted to remove rainbow decorations and clothing last year, as well as rainbow lanyards.
Waukesha school district Superintendent James Sebert responded by saying that some signage has been removed according to the policy that resulted in the ban of "Rainbowland," but did not specify whether this included rainbow signage. He mentioned that the district has its own poster, in English and Spanish, called "Commitment to All" which supports that students are "respected," "belong," and "have a voice."
The school board in Waukesha County passed a resolution earlier this year that advises teachers not to use a student's preferred pronoun or nickname without written permission from the student's parent. Across the United States, school districts are increasingly limiting teachers' ability to talk about LGBTQ topics with their students, as has been the case in Florida where a law called "Don't Say Gay" prohibits teachers from discussing sexuality and gender identity with students in kindergarten through third grade.
USA Today has previously reported that school districts in Delaware, Ohio, and Wisconsin have prohibited teachers from displaying Pride flags. School districts in Texas, Louisiana, and Michigan have also been challenged with book bans that address LGBTQ characters or topics.
In Kettle Moraine School District in Wisconsin, teachers were prohibited from displaying Pride flags or using pronouns in their email signatures. The district had reinterpreted an old policy that prohibits "partisan politics, sectarian religious views, or selfish propaganda," according to CNN's report last year.
After the ban on "Rainbowland" at Heyer Elementary, another teacher suggested that they replace the song with Kermit the Frog's famous "Rainbow Connection." However, the song was also initially banned until the Alliance for Education in Waukesha, made up of parent members, raised the issue with school staff. Eventually, administrators lifted the ban, and the concert will now go ahead with "Rainbow Connection" instead of "Rainbowland," which is "fully supported by the Superintendent," according to the school district's statement.
Tempel and Teachers Remain Committed to Inclusion
Samantha Siebenaller, a parent whose child is in Tempel's co-teachers class, commended the Heyer Elementary faculty for their commitment to creating an inclusive environment despite the school board. Siebenaller expressed disappointment with some Waukesha School Board members, whom she said have "embarrassed our community" by not prioritizing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Tempel has not removed the rainbows from her classroom, even though "Rainbowland" has been banned from the school concert. Although her students were upset by the song's removal, she is determined to show her support for inclusion in other ways. She has taken to Twitter to voice her opposition to the ban, drawing attention to her school and its upcoming concert.
For Tempel, the most important thing is to be there for her students and ensure that they feel safe, supported, and valued, regardless of how they identify.
