May 5, 2006 7:48 pm US/Eastern
Coral Springs Principal Bans Anti-Bush Song
10-Year-Old Wanted To Sing The Song In A Talent Show
Principal Cited Profanity And Political Content As Grounds To Ban The Song
CORAL SPRINGS (CBS4/AP) ―
The principal at a Coral Springs Elementary school has banned a 10 year old student from performing an anti-war song critical of President Bush as part of her school talent show. Park Springs Elementary principal Camille Pontillo says the song is inappropriate and too political, and a district spokesperson says it's her call.
10 year old Molly Shoul wanted to perform "Dear Mr. President," co-written by pop star Pink. The song criticizes Bush for the war in Iraq and policies including his stance on gay rights.
Nancy Shoul says the ban violates her daughter's right to free speech, but a Broward County School District official said the principal has the right to determine what music her students can hear at a school function.
"This is a fifth-grade student that wants to perform a song filled with lyrics about drug use, war, abortion, gay rights and profanity," district spokeswoman Nadine Drew said.
The song does not mention abortion, and the profanity is the word "hell" as a place.
"If this was a student singing a pro-administration song, no one would quibble with it," Shoul said Thursday. "The principal is just running scared and doesn't want to upset any parents."
Pontillo declined to comment Friday.
Here are the full lyrics:
Dear Mr. President
Come take a walk with me
Let's pretend we're just two people and
You're not better than me
I'd like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly
What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street
Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep
What do you feel when you look in the mirror
Are you proud
How do you sleep while the rest of us cry
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye
How do you walk with your head held high
Can you even look me in the eye
And tell me why
Dear Mr. President
Were you a lonely boy
Are you a lonely boy
Are you a lonely boy
How can you say
No child is left behind
We're not dumb and we're not blind
They're all sitting in your cells
While you pave the road to hell
What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away
And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay
I can only imagine what the first lady has to say
You've come a long way from whiskey and cocaine
How do you sleep while the rest of us cry
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye
How do you walk with your head held high
Can you even look me in the eye
Let me tell you bout hard work
Minimum wage with a baby on the way
Let me tell you bout hard work
Rebuilding your house after the bombs took them away
Let me tell you bout hard work
Building a bed out of a cardboard box
Let me tell you bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
You don't know nothing bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
Oh
How do you sleep at night
How do you walk with your head held high
Dear Mr. President
You'd never take a walk with me
Would you ?
(© 2006 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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