4:44 pm - 11/29/2012
South Lyon Centennial Middle School teacher Sue Johnson was suspended for three days last Wednesday after presenting a YouTube clip of the hip-hop song "Same Love" by underground rapper Macklemore, which discusses struggles faced by gay individuals.
During her eighth grade performing arts class, Johnson selected a musical piece and facilitated a class discussion about it. She got the idea from an in-service training that encouraged teachers to start their classes with music.
Johnson told Between The Lines that a student approached her and asked if she could play Macklemore's "Same Love" music video for the class.
"I asked him if there were any swear words, any violence. He told me "no" and I said we could go ahead," Johnson said. "The little boy who brought it was so engaged. One boy raised his hand and said he had an uncle who was gay. Another girl said her aunts were."
Johnson told the students that she knew someone who was gay too. "One of my friends whose brother was gay went to Miami Beach. He and his friend went to dinner and a couple clubs, and he was attacked — and he died. I told them nobody should have hate like that for each other.
"We talked about what 'Same Love' means. We talked about social justice. We talked about how the Constitution says we are all created equal, but can all people use our Constitution equally?"
At about 1:45 p.m. she was called into the office and sent home with instructions to come to the school board meeting the following Wednesday, but not to return until then. Johnson learned that a student had left the classroom to complain to the principal about the video being "offensive."
"The Principal had the lyrics of the song up on a screen and had me bring in my union representative," she said.
South Lyon Schools would not discuss the private conversation; however, Johnson listed the concerns the Principal had with the video:
Johnson did not share these concerns, and told the school officials that she "did nothing wrong."
"These are eighth grade kids; these aren't words they haven't heard before," she said. "I said (to the administrators) that I never brought up politics or religion."
The 56-year-old teacher, who has been with the district 17 years, was put on administrative leave - suspended - for three days, two of which were unpaid.
Assistant Superintendent Melissa Baker said that the concern is over the playing of videos without approval.
"While the District generally does not discuss employee issues with the media, misinformation about this issue must be addressed. The District has an established practice (included in the Staff Handbook) that requires the instructor to first preview any taped material to be used in the classroom (including YouTube clips), then submit a completed form about the proposed clip to a building administrator for approval.
"Further, the instructor is to identify the curriculum benchmarks that students will complete as a result of watching the clip," Baker said.
Baker added that Johnson neither previewed the YouTube Clip, nor submitted the necessary paperwork for approval. "The clip had no relationship whatsoever to the instructional class content planned for that day. The purpose of this established practice is to ensure that instructional materials are appropriate for the course and its students. It is because we care about all students that we have this procedure in place."
"While we are still investigating this incident, it appears that the South Lyon Community School District is taking a stance against diversity and love," says Equality Michigan Director of Policy Emily Dievendorf in a written statement..
"Suspending a teacher for playing a song with lyrics like 'love is kind' and 'if I was gay, I would think hip-hop hates me' says more about the school district's intolerance towards same-sex love than the teacher's judgment of her student's music tastes. I cannot help but wonder if they would have suspended her for playing a song that speaks positively of opposite-sex love or provides observations on the oppression faced by certain religions.
"Equality Michigan is eager and ready to help fight this behavior by South Lyon schools and make sure Susan Johnson is able to teach diversity and love over intolerance and hate."
Johnson provided Fox 2 News with a letter from the District, which included a list of the topics they felt made the "Same Love" video inappropriate: homosexuality, religion, politics, and language. Johnson has been allowed to return to work, but could not be reached for further comment.
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis on Ellen in October
src
Michigan School Suspends Teacher For Playing 'Same Love' by Macklemore and Lewis
South Lyon Centennial Middle School teacher Sue Johnson was suspended for three days last Wednesday after presenting a YouTube clip of the hip-hop song "Same Love" by underground rapper Macklemore, which discusses struggles faced by gay individuals.
During her eighth grade performing arts class, Johnson selected a musical piece and facilitated a class discussion about it. She got the idea from an in-service training that encouraged teachers to start their classes with music.
Johnson told Between The Lines that a student approached her and asked if she could play Macklemore's "Same Love" music video for the class.
"I asked him if there were any swear words, any violence. He told me "no" and I said we could go ahead," Johnson said. "The little boy who brought it was so engaged. One boy raised his hand and said he had an uncle who was gay. Another girl said her aunts were."
Johnson told the students that she knew someone who was gay too. "One of my friends whose brother was gay went to Miami Beach. He and his friend went to dinner and a couple clubs, and he was attacked — and he died. I told them nobody should have hate like that for each other.
"We talked about what 'Same Love' means. We talked about social justice. We talked about how the Constitution says we are all created equal, but can all people use our Constitution equally?"
At about 1:45 p.m. she was called into the office and sent home with instructions to come to the school board meeting the following Wednesday, but not to return until then. Johnson learned that a student had left the classroom to complain to the principal about the video being "offensive."
"The Principal had the lyrics of the song up on a screen and had me bring in my union representative," she said.
South Lyon Schools would not discuss the private conversation; however, Johnson listed the concerns the Principal had with the video:
- The word "faggot." Johnson said the principal told her that the "f" word is akin to the "n" word and should not be used in school.
- The word "damn."
- Religious issues. The song talks about the difference between God's love and a church that preaches hate.
- Politics. The video encourages legalization of gay marriage, and the lyrics speak about "right-wing conservatives."
- The concern that the video and the discussion did not pertain to the performance art curriculum and that the topic might better be handled in social studies or health.
- That Johnson showed the video without first screening it herself or following the district's procedure of getting videos approved before playing them.
Johnson did not share these concerns, and told the school officials that she "did nothing wrong."
"These are eighth grade kids; these aren't words they haven't heard before," she said. "I said (to the administrators) that I never brought up politics or religion."
The 56-year-old teacher, who has been with the district 17 years, was put on administrative leave - suspended - for three days, two of which were unpaid.
Assistant Superintendent Melissa Baker said that the concern is over the playing of videos without approval.
"While the District generally does not discuss employee issues with the media, misinformation about this issue must be addressed. The District has an established practice (included in the Staff Handbook) that requires the instructor to first preview any taped material to be used in the classroom (including YouTube clips), then submit a completed form about the proposed clip to a building administrator for approval.
"Further, the instructor is to identify the curriculum benchmarks that students will complete as a result of watching the clip," Baker said.
Baker added that Johnson neither previewed the YouTube Clip, nor submitted the necessary paperwork for approval. "The clip had no relationship whatsoever to the instructional class content planned for that day. The purpose of this established practice is to ensure that instructional materials are appropriate for the course and its students. It is because we care about all students that we have this procedure in place."
"While we are still investigating this incident, it appears that the South Lyon Community School District is taking a stance against diversity and love," says Equality Michigan Director of Policy Emily Dievendorf in a written statement..
"Suspending a teacher for playing a song with lyrics like 'love is kind' and 'if I was gay, I would think hip-hop hates me' says more about the school district's intolerance towards same-sex love than the teacher's judgment of her student's music tastes. I cannot help but wonder if they would have suspended her for playing a song that speaks positively of opposite-sex love or provides observations on the oppression faced by certain religions.
"Equality Michigan is eager and ready to help fight this behavior by South Lyon schools and make sure Susan Johnson is able to teach diversity and love over intolerance and hate."
Johnson provided Fox 2 News with a letter from the District, which included a list of the topics they felt made the "Same Love" video inappropriate: homosexuality, religion, politics, and language. Johnson has been allowed to return to work, but could not be reached for further comment.
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis on Ellen in October
src
My favorite part of the email was the closing:
"I am appalled at your handling of this situation, Ms. Baker. The action of your small school district has spoken very loudly about South Lyon's stance on justice and peace for all. It saddens me that in an age so rich with technology and information, that South Lyon continues to remain in a state of ignorance, perpetuating hate and injustice. "
I am probably going to get tl;dr by these people to be honest, but I have so many feelings. SO MANY FEELINGS.
1) My uncle spent over 50 years in the closet, struggled with depression and social phobia his whole life. It was probably because he was sent the message in school that gay isn't okay, that speaking out for gay rights will hurt others (ie, the teacher sent home), and/or that gay people must be forced to conform to a bigot's way of life instead of making a bigot conform to real life.
2) Giving the students the impression that they cannot fight for causes they believe in and try to influence their peers towards social equality is so out of date that it brings a tear to my eye. We should be encouraging all students to let their beliefs stimulate their minds and stimulate their rise to action. Those who are brave enough should never be shunned.
3) You have now sent the message to the school, students, parents, and other teachers and administrators, that a teacher who allows a student to stand for civil liberty is wrong. And she's not.
I have recently been made aware of an offensive, shocking, and ignorant decision made by the South Lyon School District concerning a Ms. Sue Johnson. I have heard, and sincerely hope that the report is false, that Ms. Johnson has been suspended from her post as middle-school teacher for showing a group of eight graders a video promoting love and equality for all. I have been made aware that the South Lyon School District has labelled this video wrong because of it's use of the "f" word, the "d" word, "the concern that..the topic might better be handled in social studies or health," and that the video discussed politics and religion. While I can understand an objection to the words "faggot" and "damn," I think it is highly ignorant for a group of educator to assume that a class of eighth graders does not hear and use that language on a daily basis. To object to it is fine, but the Macklemore video clearly shows how offensive the words themselves are and serve as wonderful learning tools for those who are under the impression that swear words are "cool". In addition, the South Lyon School District's idea that gay rights, religion (specifically regarding a church that spews hate), and politics (again, specifically politics that spew ideas of inequality and discrimination) do not belong in a classroom makes me weep for your students. If you truly believe that an honest and open discussion of discrimination, specifically in a country where so many have been hurt by prejudice, does not belong in a school setting is a benighted belief. Where else are children to learn if not in school? What is your schools mission if not to promote growth, maturity, and a round education in your students?
Further, are you aware that, as quoted by the American Medical Association in 2011, violence based on sexual orientation is associated with "a host of short and long-term problems, including physical injury and illness, psychological symptoms, economic costs, and death"? Is it not your job as an educator and leader of middle school children to be informed about this violence and to do your best to protect those who are victims of malicious and hateful crimes? Your action to suspend Ms. Johnson cuts short a very meaningful conversation about the rights of all individuals. Instead of continuing to spread a message of peace and equality, you are perpetuating a hateful attitude that severely affects the lives of millions of Americans daily.
I am appalled at your handling of this situation, Ms. Baker. The action of your small school district has spoken very loudly about South Lyon's stance on justice and peace for all. It saddens me that in an age so rich with technology and information, that South Lyon continues to remain in a state of ignorance, perpetuating hate and injustice.
The school district needs to know that (as my mom used to say:) tolerance of intolerance will not be tolerated.