Cancel All The Rainbows

A Waukesha elementary school has said that the 1st-grade class cannot include “Rainbowland” or “Rainbow Connection” at their spring concert. We spend the hour talking about how asinine that is.

Check out this episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

Wait Till You Hear About What God Sent to Noah

In case you have missed any of the 385 bills taking aim at LGBTQIA+ rights across the country, here’s a bit of a recap: 

• Tennessee has become the first state to restrict drag shows. 
• Iowa and Idaho sent bills to their governors’ desks to restrict bathroom access. 
• West Virginia‘s one step away from banning gender-affirming health care for trans minors, while Nebraska is currently considering a similar measure. 
• Florida…Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) wants to expand the Parental Rights in Education Act — which critics dubbed as the “Don’t Say Gay” law — to include all grades. Currently, the law only applies to kindergarten through third grade. If expanded, no one would be allowed to discuss sexual orientation or gender identity in the classroom. The proposal doesn’t require legislative approval and will be put to a vote in front of the state’s Board of Education next month.
• Arkansas…Earlier this week, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R-AK) signed a law that blocks transgender students from using the bathroom that matches their gender identity. The ban makes Arkansas the fourth state (along with Oklahoma, Alabama, and Tennessee) to pass this type of law in public schools. It’ll go into effect later this summer. It comes as state lawmakers consider an even stricter bill that would make it a crime for transgender adults to use public changing rooms and bathrooms that don’t match their sex assigned at birth.

Here in Wisconsin, we luckily have a Governor who would immediately veto any of that garbage. But that doesn’t mean individual school boards and administrations aren’t on the same page over these regressive policies. 

The newest aggression comes from a Waukesha elementary school. Yesterday reports from teachers and parents at a Waukesha elementary school started to circulate those first graders will now not be able to sing “Rainbowland” by Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton for their spring concert. When they tried to replace it with Kermit the Frog’s “Rainbow Connection” that too was vetoed. 

My first graders were so excited to sing Rainbowland for our spring concert but it has been vetoed by our administration. When will it end? @waukeshaschools @DollyParton @MileyCyrus @mileyworld @gsafewi @CivilRights #publicschools pic.twitter.com/8Na0nETmDw

— Maestra Melissa (@melissatempel) March 21, 2023

The only response the Waukesha Superintendent has given thus far is that the song was removed because it was deemed controversial but would not elaborate on what in it was controversial.

Let’s Examine The Lyrics, Shall We?

“Hey Miley

It’s me, I’m in Nashville

I’m on my way to Dollywood, busy as you are

Can’t get enough stuff to do, can’t

But anyway, I’m excited about singing with you

So I’m just gonna turn my, CD player on with you singing

I’m gon’ put this on a cassette

Sing along with it, and then I’ll run you off a CD later

Oh, I’m so high tech

I got a flip phone, too

But anyhow, see what you think

And um, here I go”

Come on

Living in a Rainbowland

Where everything goes as planned

And I smile

‘Cause I know if we try, we could really make a difference in this world

I won’t give up, I’ll sleep a wink

It’s the only thought I think, you know where I stand

I believe we can start living in a Rainbowland

Living in a Rainbowland

Where you and I go hand in hand

Oh, I’d be lying if I said this was fine

All the hurt and the hate going on here

We are rainbows, me and you

Every color, every hue

Let’s shine on through

Together, we can start living in a Rainbowland”

What About the Lyrics for Rainbow Connect?

“Why are there so many

Songs about rainbows

And what’s on the other side?

Rainbows are visions

But only illusions

And rainbows have nothing to hide

So we’ve been told and some choose to believe it

I know they’re wrong wait and see

Someday we’ll find it, the rainbow connection

The lovers, the dreamers and me

[Verse 2]

Who said that every wish

Would be heard and answered

When wished on the morning star?

Somebody thought of that

And someone believed it

Look what it’s done so far

What’s so amazing that keeps us stargazing

And what do we think we might see?

Someday we’ll find it, the rainbow connection”

Please protect the children from such morally corrupt lyrics.

Reminder! 12 Days Until the Spring Election!

• Check out if and where you can vote early here: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/Vote-Absentee-In-Person 
• See what’s on your ballot here.