When I was in the sixth grade, our class was putting on a show/pageant at the end of the school year. One of the songs we were scheduled to sing was John Lennon's "Imagine". We practiced that song for weeks. The day before the show, our teachers received word that we would not be allowed to perform the song because the principal was "uncomfortable" with it. Even then, I thought that this was censorship at its crappiest. I didn't like the song. I still don't. But dammit, I worked hard on it, and I didn't see any reason to not perform it. It isn't profane, raunchy, or even disrespectful. It's not even political, really. But the powers that be decided it was, and thus it was made so.
Today I see that nothing has changed. Instead of allowing this girl to sing her song, and maybe educating the other students about free speech and dissent, another principal decides to put the kibosh on any type of learning in this school. God forbid they hear the word hell, as they would never hear it anyplace else. I guess she should have picked "It's Hard To Be A Pimp" or whatever that song was that won an Oscar.
Thanks to Bruce Sedberry and Amy Mitchell at Paint Branch Elementary School, for teaching this student the power of independent and critical thought. You were the best teachers I ever had, and you are not forgotten.
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5 comments:
Hey Doug,
I had Mr. Sedberry and Ms. Mitchell around '79 I think. Any idea where they are?
Buddy King
I had Mr. Sedberry @ 86 and was one of the best teachers i ever had i also had mrs Patricia Howard-Drizd @ the same time at Paint Branch Elementary. They were the two teachers i had, that made the best impact out of all the teachers i ever had, n boy did i have a bunch( i went to a few different schools in high school) if either of them were to take a look at my grammar/spelling on here, neither would b pleased. Mr. sedberry would have me writing the definition if Time from the dictionary...lol I seen Mr.Sedberry at giant in greenbelt (right before it moved across the street to belway plaza) he still looked the exact same and said Trevor (his son) and wife (Laura/Laury) i believe was her name were doing great. He was still teaching at that time but havent heard anything since. Would love to hear about them now. If u have any info could u leave it on here or send an email to missymommy101@yahoo.com thanks so much.
I had Mr. Sedberry also. I'd love to know how he's doing. He was the best teacher I ever had.
Doug,
I was in your same class when Bruce Sedberry and Amy Mitchell taught us "Imagine", only to have it yanked from us by the powers above. Your right..we practiced that song for weeks. I remember all of us being really crushed. The whole experience was one of the most profound learning experiences I can remember and I was only 10...John Lennon's "Imagine" squashed by the authorities! It still resonates with me to this day. I don't think it was a lost teaching moment...I think the censorship was the teaching moment. I don't think I would have remember this at all if we had performed the song.
Thank you too, Bruce Sedberry and Amy Mitchell. If this finds you, It would be great to hear how you are doing.
-Hugh Rodell hrodell@northstartrees.com
I became a heavy environmentalist. I'll never forget handing Bruce an extra credit paper on "How a nuclear bomb is made." Freaked him out, but he liked it. Cool AF dude. I'm sure he is skipping stores out by the shore most days. Anth
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