Administrators at an elementary school in Waukesha, Wisconsin told students they couldn’t sing the Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton duet “Rainbowland” at an upcoming recital because it “could be perceived as controversial.”
Superintendent Jim Sebert said Heyer Elementary School received two queries from parents about the inclusion of the 2017 song in an upcoming recital. Principal Mark Schneider and director of elementary learning Melissa Yow scrapped the song from the setlist.
“The main question was is the song appropriate for the age level and maturity of the students,” he said, in a statement to CBS 58. “The teacher was asked to pick a different song for the first grade concert.”
The school board cited a policy about topics that may have “political, social or personal impacts.”
First grade teacher Melissa Tempel tweeted that her students were excited to perform “Rainbowland” at the spring concert but “it was vetoed by our administration. When will it end?”
She added: “Why Rainbowland? My guess: The beautiful LYRICS. Because saying an ARTIST is controversial would be a very slippery slope and they wouldn’t want to go there. Amirite?”
In the song, Cyrus and Parton sing: “Wouldn’t it be nice to live in paradise / Where we’re free to be exactly who we are … Brush the judgment and fear aside / Make wrong things right / And end the fight / ‘Cause I promise ain’t nobody gonna win.”
The song was replaced in the concert by the Oscar-nominated “Rainbow Connection,” which was performed by Kermit the Frog in 1979’s The Muppets Movie.
"Rainbowland" appears on Cyrus' album Younger Now.