Westside : SING-ALONG
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It was not music to her ears.
Janet Mangum, a parent of two students at Lincoln Middle School in Santa Monica, was offended when the song “Dixie” was included in the students’ end-of-the-year musical show. At her request, administrators quickly pulled the score from the school program.
Music teacher Cecile Blanchard had included the song to illustrate musical history, according to school district officials. The Civil War-era anthem was composed in 1859 by Daniel Decatur Emmett. Blanchard declined to comment.
Although her children spoke to Blanchard about their concerns, Mangum said, they were simply told they didn’t have to sing the song if they didn’t want to.
Mangum was not satisfied, so she called the school. A native of Alabama, she remembers “Dixie” as the rallying cry for Southerners who believed that slavery should continue. Although Mangum is pleased that the song was cut from the performance, she said she is disappointed that school administrators did not give her daughters’ concerns the same consideration.
“I guess their opinion was not enough,” she said.
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