BRIGHTON, N.Y. (WROC) — The Brighton Central School District, located just outside Rochester, New York, is addressing the use, or lack thereof, of the holiday classic song “Jingle Bells” in its curriculum.
In a letter to families on the BCSD website, Superintendent Kevin McGowan wrote: “It may seem silly to some, but the fact that ‘Jingle Bells’ was first performed in minstrel shows where white actors performed in blackface does actually matter when it comes to questions of what we use as material in school.”
According to Boston University professor Kyna Hamill, who researched the song’s origins for a 2017 article, “The legacy of ‘Jingle Bells’ is, as we shall see, a prime example of a common misreading of much popular music from the nineteenth century in which its blackface and racist origins have been subtly and systematically removed from its history.”
McGowan said he addressed the song situation after a community member penned an article in the online publication The Rochester Beacon about the matter and how it was no longer being taught at the district’s Council Rock Primary School.
“Choosing songs other than ‘Jingle Bells’ wasn’t a major policy initiative, a ‘banning’ of the song or some significant change to a concert repertoire done in response to a complaint,” the superintendent wrote. “This wasn’t ‘liberalism gone amok’ or ‘cancel culture at its finest’ as some have suggested. Nobody has said you shouldn’t sing ‘Jingle Bells’ or ever in any way suggested that to your children.”
The superintendent adds that the song is closely tied to a religious holiday that is not celebrated by everyone in the community, meaning it “was not likely a song that we would have wanted as part of the school curriculum in the first place.”
According to the district’s K-2 Diversity and Equity curriculum for Council Rock Primary School, “Jingle Bells” isn’t the only song that is no longer taught to students. McGowan highlights other songs with “questionable” histories, including ‘Ching a Ring Chaw,’ ‘Canoe Song,’ and ‘Cumberland Gap,’ that have been “replaced with more contemporary, and relevant content.”
Last year, Brighton announced it would be changing its mascot from the “Barons” to the “Bruins” in one of a few “significant” steps forward for the district toward “diversity, equity and inclusion.”
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” Superintendent Kevin McGowan wrote: “It may seem silly to some, but the fact that ‘Jingle Bells’ was first performed in minstrel shows where white actors performed in blackface does actually matter when it comes to questions of what we use as material in school”. Another Superintendent who is a liberal communist censorship airhead and this is the garbage they have in the schools indoctrinating the children in our Country.
At this stage, i wonder, are there any ‘educators’ in the ENTIRE STATE Of NY, who are NOT RABID LIBTARD commucrats?!
These idiots are so quick to advertise their research results about insignificant things, How about they research what the likeness between the current ruling. party and the nazi regime is and let everyone know those results.
OR how what the current admin is doing, IS ILLEGAL!
“In a letter to families on the BCSD website, Superintendent Kevin McGowan wrote: “It may seem silly to some, but the fact that ‘Jingle Bells’ was first performed in minstrel shows where white actors performed in blackface does actually matter when it comes to questions of what we use as material in school.” Oh, really? Then, I suppose us White folks should create a clamor about Black History Month. Or, if you want to stick to music, we’ll revolt against (c)rap which isn’t the least bit musical. Sound like a plan??
“Choosing songs other than ‘Jingle Bells’ wasn’t a major policy initiative, a ‘banning’ of the song or some significant change to a concert repertoire done in response to a complaint,” the superintendent wrote. “This wasn’t ‘liberalism gone amok’ or ‘cancel culture at its finest’ as some have suggested. Nobody has said you shouldn’t sing ‘Jingle Bells’ or ever in any way suggested that to your children.” Noooooo—certainly not—just a bunch of worthless adult minds—within the educational system nonetheless—stooping down to single-cell lifeform level and making absolute fools of themselves.
If you people have education—and you work in education—why in the hell don’t you act like it??
“In a letter to families on the BCSD website, Superintendent Kevin McGowan wrote: “It may seem silly to some, but the fact that ‘Jingle Bells’ was first performed in minstrel shows where white actors performed in blackface does actually matter when it comes to questions of what we use as material in school.”
When blacks were slaves they received free food, housing and medical…. So it is no longer appropriate for them to receive welfare, housing and medicate…. Right??
BUT You’re racist, for DARING TO say that they shouldn’t stay on welfare for life…
This of course should lead to every song ever performed by a minstral group, either black face or white, should be banned, as should the composers who allowed their works to be used by such groups! Then, of course, there are the recordings made by many artists over the years, what to do about those!
BUT of course, that won’t apply to GANGSTA RAP songs….
Who was that Jolson guy, anyway?
I just love being ordered around by foreigners in America. Can we have another 100,000 per day to further educate me on their standards of living. I just don’t know how we got to where we are without them.
we are no a fast track to hell in this country.
no religion except islam and governmemt
they are brainiwashing kids not to believe in god but believe in man and climate change.
i believe the mark of the beast is in short order.
The filthy songs being released by black so called performers and scooped up by every degenerate out there why wouldn’t jingle bells be banned especially in a state where filthy ideals, lifestyles and satanic propaganda is being pushed into children’s minds.
Perhaps someone should do research on the history of the KKK. Would “they” then outlaw the Democratic party?
THE HISTORY is there for all to see.. THEY DON’T CARE!
Ok… this is getting to be absolutely ludicrous!!!! So… All racists have in the past and do currently…eat, drink, walk, sleep, breathe, talk, etc, etc, etc,…therefor… we must(!) outlaw all(!) bodily functions!!!!