MOM, IS THIS THE ARTICLE YOU'RE REFERRING TO???
Burlington Township kids focus of uproar over Obama song video
BY Wilford S. Shamlin
GANNETT NEW JERSEY
A YouTube video showing Burlington Township schoolchildren being directed in a song celebrating President Barack Obama has caused a national stir as well as concerns among state and local educators about the partisan politics, appropriate lesson plans and student privacy.
The video, first posted earlier this month, is titled "School Kids Taught To Praise Obama," and runs for nearly 2 1/2 minutes. The clip shows more than a dozen children at B. Bernice Young Elementary School, at the direction of an unknown adult, singing the song. At the conclusion of the song, the children pump their fists and chant "hip, hip, hooray!"
"The commissioner has directed the superintendent to conduct a thorough review of what happened to ensure that students can celebrate the achievements of African Americans during Black History Month without inappropriate partisan politics in the classroom, as well as ensuring the privacy of children is not violated," Kathryn Forsyth, spokeswoman for the New Jersey Department of Education said in a statement. "In addition, it is our understanding the teacher in question retired at the end of the last school year."
Burlington Township School District officials did not return calls for comment Wednesday. However, the district posted a statement on its Web site explaining that the students were participating in an activity for Black History Month.
"Today we became aware of a video that was placed on the Internet which has been reported by the media," the statement read. "The video is of a class of students singing a song about President Obama. The activity took place during Black History Month in 2009, which is recognized each February to honor the contributions of African Americans to our country. Our curriculum studies, honors and recognizes those who serve our country. The recording and distribution of the class activity were not authorized."
Multiple versions of the video -- one was posted as recently as Thursday night -- have since cropped up and have received more than 171,000 views. The posting is also drawing attention from Internet bloggers, Fox News, conservative columnist Michelle Malkin and other media outlets.
"This is obviously being whipped into a frenzy from a source, probably far away from New Jersey," said Steve Wollmer, spokesman for the New Jersey Education Association, a teachers union.
Wollmer said he could only speculate why the video is drawing strong reactions some six months after it was recorded.
"The president has been under attack recently by conservative quarters," he said, "and this is probably just another example of that."
Frank Belluscio, spokesman for the New Jersey School Boards Association, said he had not seen the video and could not comment. But he said classroom activities and teaching strategies are a matter of district policy.
After watching the video, Wollmer said that the class activity appeared to be appropriate because it was a musical and creative part of a Black History Month observance. He also noted that school policies and curriculum would have to be considered.
Wollmer said Obama had just made history, becoming the nation's first black president.
"If you go back to that time," he said. "it was a timely observance."
BY Wilford S. Shamlin
GANNETT NEW JERSEY
A YouTube video showing Burlington Township schoolchildren being directed in a song celebrating President Barack Obama has caused a national stir as well as concerns among state and local educators about the partisan politics, appropriate lesson plans and student privacy.
The video, first posted earlier this month, is titled "School Kids Taught To Praise Obama," and runs for nearly 2 1/2 minutes. The clip shows more than a dozen children at B. Bernice Young Elementary School, at the direction of an unknown adult, singing the song. At the conclusion of the song, the children pump their fists and chant "hip, hip, hooray!"
"The commissioner has directed the superintendent to conduct a thorough review of what happened to ensure that students can celebrate the achievements of African Americans during Black History Month without inappropriate partisan politics in the classroom, as well as ensuring the privacy of children is not violated," Kathryn Forsyth, spokeswoman for the New Jersey Department of Education said in a statement. "In addition, it is our understanding the teacher in question retired at the end of the last school year."
Burlington Township School District officials did not return calls for comment Wednesday. However, the district posted a statement on its Web site explaining that the students were participating in an activity for Black History Month.
"Today we became aware of a video that was placed on the Internet which has been reported by the media," the statement read. "The video is of a class of students singing a song about President Obama. The activity took place during Black History Month in 2009, which is recognized each February to honor the contributions of African Americans to our country. Our curriculum studies, honors and recognizes those who serve our country. The recording and distribution of the class activity were not authorized."
Multiple versions of the video -- one was posted as recently as Thursday night -- have since cropped up and have received more than 171,000 views. The posting is also drawing attention from Internet bloggers, Fox News, conservative columnist Michelle Malkin and other media outlets.
"This is obviously being whipped into a frenzy from a source, probably far away from New Jersey," said Steve Wollmer, spokesman for the New Jersey Education Association, a teachers union.
Wollmer said he could only speculate why the video is drawing strong reactions some six months after it was recorded.
"The president has been under attack recently by conservative quarters," he said, "and this is probably just another example of that."
Frank Belluscio, spokesman for the New Jersey School Boards Association, said he had not seen the video and could not comment. But he said classroom activities and teaching strategies are a matter of district policy.
After watching the video, Wollmer said that the class activity appeared to be appropriate because it was a musical and creative part of a Black History Month observance. He also noted that school policies and curriculum would have to be considered.
Wollmer said Obama had just made history, becoming the nation's first black president.
"If you go back to that time," he said. "it was a timely observance."
Thanks lov and if there is one person who does not see this video and the call by Rush Limbaugh that we return to a segragated America then I DO PITY YOU AS A PROUD BLACK FEMALE can only do...
Not one person that I know of has gone on Youtube to protest the racism ,manipulation and out and out lies about the Black family as seen on each and every CNN BIA specials...I AM STILL UP SET THAT CNN WENT ALL THE WAY TO AFRICA TO SHOW HOW WE MUST HAVE BROUGHT THE FATHERS BEING IN PRISON WITH US FROM AFRICA AND THEN SHOWED HOW THE CHILD WAS LYING WHEN HE SAID HE WAS DOING OK IN SCHOOL. DID YOU NOT NOTICE HOW THEY MADE A SPECIAL POINT TO POINT OUT THIS TO THE WORLD....and nnonw we must stop teaching pride in our black community success story because Rush limbaugh and Glenn Beck says so.....
I have not even seen on this site our president saying that he has called on Eric Holder to look into all of this discrimination over our public air waves....like FOX's complaining about he was on all of the morning talk shows but theirs. When this network refuses to even show one of the president's speeches in the past two or three weeks...I DO REMEMBER THE PRESIDENT SAYING FROM THE START HOW HE NEEDED ALL OF OUR HELP!!!!!!!!!!(I am not smiling*%^***#@* IT)
NOT ONLY ARE WE NOT HELPING HIM WE ARE ALLOWING OUR CHILDREN TO BE SO ABUSED LIKE THIS.....W-A-K-E U-P.....