A Wisconsin elementary school is buzzing in the news after nixing students’ performance of Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton’s duet “Rainbowland” from its spring concert after an administrator deemed the song inappropriate for school.
Waukesha-area Heyer Elementary School received backlash after first grade students, who had planned and rehearsed the song to perform among a setlist of songs at an upcoming concert, came home disappointed that the song had been cut.
The Los Angeles Times reported that one parent’s daughter came home, excited to show her mom all the songs she and her classmates had prepared to perform at the show and “Rainbowland” was among them.
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Dolly Parton (L) and Miley Cyrus perform onstage during the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
“We love Dolly Parton!” mom Sarah Schindler said, according to the outlet, relaying that she and her daughter were ecstatic that the song made the list.
But her daughter came home with more dismal news later, telling her that not only had “Rainbowland” been cut from the repertoire, but so had Kermit the Frog’s “Rainbow Connection,” a song popularized by “The Muppet Movie.”
Schindler wanted to know why.
Superintendent Jim Sebert told multiple outlets that the song could potentially be deemed controversial and others, including Schindler, alleged the local school board’s “conservative flip” brought about policies that sought to eliminate rainbow imagery that induces thoughts of LGBTQ+ themes and the songs were removed from the setlist in consequence of the change.
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Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton co-wrote and recorded “Rainbowland,” a song that came under fire in a Wisconsin school district. (Photo by: Vijat Mohindra/NBC via Getty Images)
Parton and Cyrus both have said the inspiration and message behind the song is different, rooted in coming together and being more accepting and kind to others.
“It’s about all these different races and genders and religions, if we all did come together to create and said, ‘Hey, we’re different, that’s awesome, let’s not change to be the same, but let’s come together anyway.’ Because a rainbow’s not a rainbow without all the different colors.'” Cyrus told People Magazine around the time of the song’s release in 2017.
Cyrus also has a multicolored recording studio in Malibu named “Rainbow Land.”
Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus (Photo by: Katherine Bomboy/NBC via Getty Images)
Parton, who is Cyrus’ godmother, said the song is about being kinder to others, telling Taste of Country, “It’s really about if we could love one another a little better or be a little kinder, be a little sweeter, we could live in rainbow land…
“It’s really just about dreaming and hoping that we could all do better. It’s a good song for the times right now.”
“Rainbow Connection” was added to the repertoire again after parental complaints, according to a tweet from local educator Melissa Tempel.
Fox News Digital reached out to Sebert for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
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