I was griped at today by a parent - over a song from Grease

[ChoralScholar]

One of my choirs is doing 'Summer Nights' from Grease, which, if you are familiar with it, says 'we made out under the dock' and 'she got friendly down in the sand'.

Today, a parent calls me, first asks if I have voice mail, and can he just leave me a message, I said no, I'm on the phone now, what do you need?

He proceeds to tell me that I should change my choice of spring concert literature for my sake and for my kids sake, because it is not appropriate, citing the aforementioned examples (and misquoting them, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt)

I told him that it was just euphemistic language, and it could be as dirty or as clean as the mind of the listener. Not to mention, the phrases are thirty years old.

At this point, I realize I don't even know who this is. I ask him, "Who exactly am I speaking with?" and he refuses to tell me. He says he does not want his child retaliated against. (What does he think I will do? Hit her?)

I told him, "I appreciate your concern, but I'm not going to change my program because an anonymous person calls me and tells me to. If you want to talk about this like adults, feel free to give me a call."

I am rather insulted that he doesn't have enough faith in me as an educator, not to retaliate against his daughter. I am further insulted by the idiocy of this whole situation.

How cowardly can you be. That's really "standing up for your principles" to leave an anonymous voice mail, second guessing a hard working, underpaid teacher.

When you grow up, and become an adult, come talk to me then.

[China_cat]

1. Change your program

Do one of the nude numbers from 'Hair'.

[ChoralScholar]

2. I should. Or make his daughter play the one of the lesbians from Rent.

He'd really appreciate Grease then.

[aQuArius]

26. La Cage Aux Folles.....

Make all the boys to a chorus number in full drag! :rofl:

[Debi]

3. was it your principal?

I saw a bumper sticker today that said something like "American is getting back to the values the Boy Scouts never lost" Oh boy!

[ChoralScholar]

5. Nope. It was a a parent. EOM

[Debi]

8. I was joking...

:shrug:

[Maddy McCall]

4. My child has been retaliated against by his teachers.

Liberal family in a very conservative, rural school district. It got so bad that I had to pull him out and homeschool him.

I can understand the caller's concern about retaliation. However, if he's going to complain about the play and expect changes, he should come to you and discuss it.

I don't think that you would retaliate, but there are some teachers who do.

[ChoralScholar]

6. I'm sure there are.

But it's awfully pessimistic to assume that about someone you've never met.

[Maddy McCall]

9. I agree.

He should make an appointment and come in to talk to you.

[ChoralScholar]

12. I just re-read your post.

It's not even a play. It's a song *FROM* the play.

[mikeytherat]

7. Time for you to do a stage version of "Pink Flamingos"

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069089/

:evilgrin:

I'd pay big bucks just to be in the audience and gauge everyone's reaction!

[ChoralScholar]

19. Maybe so...

I thought about doing a 'Rent' medley, but figured it to be a bit much for Jr. High.

[johnnie]

10. How old are the kids?

Just curious.

[ChoralScholar]

11. Mostly 9th graders. Some 8th graders. EOM

[johnnie]

14. That's not that young

Talk about retaliation, if that would have been one of my parents when I was that age, I would have retaliated against *them*. Maybe that's what the parent meant..LOL

[ChoralScholar]

16. I think his daughter's

probably a screw-around, and knows that I wouldn't take him or her seriously.

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

17. lol, so 14 and 15 year olds? By the parents reaction

I was figuring they were more like 10 or 11 or so. . . Wow, just ignore him unless he decides to come and give you a valid reason

[ChoralScholar]

18. I'm going to tell my principal. Just so it doesn't look like

I ignored the parent.

[BikeWriter]

25. Good idea, play it safe!

[LaraMN]

13. Tell him you're cutting the song and replacing it with "Closer," by NIN.

}( so that the music has a touch more relevance to today's young people.

[ChoralScholar]

15. hehe... interesting you should mention that

Some choir director buddies and I got piss-drunk at a convention and sang it in a karaoke bar.

[xmas74]

22. I was going to suggest "Don't Know How to Love Him"

from Jesus Christ, Superstar but your suggestion is much better!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

20. Good for you for standing your ground!

These fundy types are really creepy. They imagine sex in everything; and they imagine it as kinky as possible. They should really get some therapy or take some ExLax or something. :yourock:

[ChoralScholar]

21. I'm thinking

that this is the same person who would shout 'free speech' as it pertains to religious music in the classroom. (Sacred music by Mozart, Beethoven, etc.)

He can't have his cake and eat it too. You either stand for it or you don't.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

24. No doubt...

Another guy who wants to "get back to the good old days". :eyes:

[xmas74]

23. If the parent is a fundie, just

pick and choose anything from Jesus Christ, Superstar. That'll really piss them off.

Or how about this little "musical" to make the parents really upset?
http://www.rockymusic.org/lyrics/index.html

Any song would do it and make them beg for Grease all over again!

[Dangerously Amused]

27. Hey Dude.

The fact that he wouldn't give his name doesn't mean he lacks confidence in your decision, it means he lacks confidence in his criticism of your decision. The "retaliation" excuse is just bullshit, unless he can show that you have retaliated against students in the past, which I presume he cannot.

Think about it. If I was concerned about a true "moral outrage" in my kid's school and I knew I was right, you can jolly well bet I'd leave my name. And my phone number. And I'd follow up with a call to the principal and the school board.

Good for you for standing up to him.

You rock!

:headbang:

[no name no slogan]

28. I got yelled at for streaming "March of the Penguins" for a demo at work

Some biddy complained about a scene where a predator is picking apart the carcass of a dead baby penguin. She said that the violence was "inappropriate" for the workplace :wtf:

She even filed a grievance with HR. Of course they didn't do shit with it. Gotta love gubmit work.

[Rabrrrrrr]

29. Zappa fans will explode with laughter at this: do Briefcase Boogie instead

That'll teach the uptight fuckwad.

I bet the sonofabitch would think it perfectly fine if you were recruiting for the military in the classroom and telling the kids how wonderful it is to kill Iraqi babies.

[Left Is Write]

30. Really? Grease?

How innocent can you get? It's GREASE!

Besides, anyone who has ever seen the show knows that Danny is full of shit when he says those phrases. :D

[ChoralScholar]

37. Yeah, I know

I made that point too, that the whole song was about exaggeration.

I have made some changes in other parts of the program.

In 'There are Worse Things I Could Do', I have changed the lines about 'press against them when we dance' and 'take cold showers every day' just to avoid this type of nonsense.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

31. Want to hear a stupid example of school censorship?

My one friend, a very liberal HS teacher (was also my Gifted & Talented mentor in HS and I want to turn her into an EvilDUer), had one photo banned from being in the school's literary magazine. It was of a girl's legs (wearing a skirt). It was banned for being suggestive and showing too much skin. It was taken IN THE CAFETERIA! The administration agreed that it wasn't against dress code, but it was too suggestive to be in the literary magazine. Umm...so basically kids can see the girl's legs live in the cafeteria, but they cannot see a photograph of the legs. What the fuck? Personally, I find legs in real life a lot hotter than photos of a leg.

BTW, the photo was also taken for a school project. It was fine for that and apparently got a good grade.

[Oeditpus Rex]

32. Do 'Greased Lightning' instead

:evilgrin:

[Vidar]

33. "Sodomy, felatio, cunniligus can be fun..."--Hair

[FredScuttle]

34. Well....there's only one thing to do

ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW





LIPS, LIPS, LIPS, LIPS, LIPS,.......

[Random_Australian]

35. there is the faint chance that he is a fox news watcher and

weirdly thinks that liberals really do have an agenda, and really would retaliate.
If a guy says he doesn't want his child retaliated against, you'd best assure him that that is completely outside your principles, and that for you, child is not responsible for the parents' actions, and that you won't gossip his name and message.

Then, if he's genuine, he ought to talk reasonably, but the best bit is that is he was BSing, he has no ground left to stand on :evilgrin:. Whatcha think of me little plan? Then you tell him to make an appointment.

[mac56]

36. well handled

We get calls like this all the time in small town radio. I take the same approach you do - - when you're willing to let me know your name like you already know mine, then we'll talk.

I think the parent who called you is off his medications, frankly.