"ADULTS" ridicule children singing a patriotic song in front of their schoo.

Golly! I'll tell you what's the truth! Anyone who gets offended by a tribute to our country should not LIVE in our country. If they hate our country so much, go back to where they came from, or find some other place to go.

I sang that song in school all the time! We used to wave our little flags near veterans day and when 9/11 happened we sang it right along with the Star Spangled Banner. No one ever said one angry word about it, but I guess I grew up in a more conservative country-loving city. I mean, it's about living in a free country and being proud of that fact. And why would loving one's country be offense to other cultures? I like patriotic songs from other countries. Why can't we all just share our love for our countries and our cultures and be happy about it together?

hi debracarey that was just horrid. childish adults heckling those poor kids.and the excuse offered by the school people is outlandish.So now the children get the lesson its wrong to be patriotic and love your country? shame on them those school officials are dumb adult a.s.s.es. for sure

That looks pretty bad.I`ve heard the same ideas promoted in my country but i`ve never seen people trying to stop others to sing patriotic songs or religious songs...well here the kids are allowed to sing such songs in the classroom, they don`t need to go outside the school for that.Something is wrong.

This seems like more right wing propaganda. It is really sad. I can't say that I wouldn't have asked the school to reconsider the song though. It is rather offensive to other cultures AND there are other songs they could have chosen for the children to sing that are patriotic without it being "God bless the USA". The congressman there, regardless of whether he was invited or not, took the whole patriotism thing out of the song. Really, it looked more like a campaign piece and for the candidate to use the children like that it is very very sad. I am sure other people will look at that and say "oh they were denied a patriotic song", but the fact of the matter is, it was a campaign event. I would have been more impressed if there were NO campaign signs, NO politicians, and it WAS NOT posted on GOP sites. Then it would have been more of "Oh well, this is just another thing they force kids to sing in school. I had an issue with the song but it was wrong if we didn't see it." The song to me was offensive. Any patriotic christian should find it offensive, after all God should bless everyone... not just the people in THIS country. This was a very sad, blatant, political event and NO DECENT PARENT should have ever let their children take part.

Hello debrakcarey I found the video too chaotic to understand. I really couldn't hear anything. Whoever made the video might have done better to turn down the music. Was the music being played live and recorded that way? It sounded more like it was added. It is unfortunate for the children that proper planning wasn't done so that the fruits of their efforts could be realized. I do find it very odd that a Congressman was there to 'support' them. It seemed more like the musical presentation was supporting the Congressman, what with their campaign signs and all that. The article is very vague. In the video, did the principal say, explicitly, that he/she denied the musical because of fear of offending other cultures? If I was the principal I would have denied it because it seemed to be supporting one political candidate, and I don't think that children should be manipulated in this way.

"Not offend other cultures" just imagine if folks tried to get an Islamic country to #1 - give up its heritage, and #2 - put all other cultures on an even footing in THEIR country.. none of these progressive "adults"/dictators would even think of trying it!

I'm going to mention two things I don't remember seeing in the other comments. First, I'd like to know where this principal was all the time this play was being rehearsed. What kind of principal has no idea what's in the plays being practiced by different classes? If she was not aware of this before the performance, she wasn't very competent. If she was, then why didn't she nip it in the bud instead of waiting this long? Is it possible she wanted an issue made of it? Secondly, if it was the adults having the problem with this song, why heckle the kids? The adults responsible for this and those offended by it should have been able to discuss their differences out of earshot of the children. When I was in high school, a number of us had a favorite teacher. We got word that the school board had decided not to grant her tenure. I forget why. A number of us were upset and our parents wrote letters to the school board. They weren't able to make a difference, but they settled the matter in the way these matters are supposed be settled. They didn't use the students as tools. Here the students were evidently being used as tools, albeit with their consent, since they wanted to sing the song. The question, though, is who was using them? The timing of the protest might indicate it was the principal, who let the children continue to practice and think they would be able to sing this, and then preventing them at the end. I apologize if my facts are wrong. I was not able to watch the video. I'm speaking as an ex-teacher and my administrators were supposed to be aware of what went on in my classroom. Children often talk about what they are doing at school with their parents. Seems to me that any children who were unhappy about singing the song would have spoken to their parents and the parents would have complained to the principal early on if they objected. The children most likely sang the song around their homes, too, since children often do sing what they are learning. Mine children did.