Miley Cyrus Dolly Parton Rainbowland

The School District of Waukesha said the song was deemed controversial in accordance with district policy. Parents and teachers want to know why.

“This is so much more than a decision to not sing a song,” she said. I feel confident that their problem is with what they think Miley Cyrus, Dolly Parton and rainbows represent — not about the message of the song.” The song selected was Rainbow Connection by Kermit the Frog.” The idea to perform a song that describes a utopia “where we’re free to be exactly who we are” came in a collaboration with the school’s music teacher. But after backlash from parent groups, the school decided to keep “Rainbow Connection.” And we love Dolly.”

Administrators said the song, which promotes LGBTQ acceptance, “could be perceived as controversial.”

First-grade teacher Melissa Tempel said she chose the song because its message seemed universal and sweet. Students at Heyer Elementary School in Waukesha had prepared a rendition of “Rainbowland” for their spring concert, but school officials struck the song from the lineup last week. “Let’s all dig down deep inside, brush the judgment and fear aside,” the song from Cyrus’ 2017 album Younger Now goes. Oh, I’d be lying if I said this was fine, all the hurt and the hate going on here.” The class concert’s theme was “The World” and included other songs such as “Here Comes the Sun,” by the Beatles and “What a Wonderful World,” by Louis Armstrong. — Administrators at a Wisconsin elementary school stopped a first-grade class from performing a Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton duet promoting LGBTQ acceptance because the song “could be perceived as controversial.”

A Wisconsin school district has banned a first grade class from singing Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton's duet “Rainbowland” because it was deemed ...

The class ultimately stuck with "Rainbow Connection" after “parents sent emails to admin,” Tempel said. "The Rainbowland story is about much more than a banned song. D’oh, I thought for sure it was [@DollyParton](https://twitter.com/DollyParton) and her beautiful drag queen followers! “It’s really just about dreaming and hoping that we could all do better. Where we’re free to be exactly who we are / Let’s all dig down deep inside / Brush the judgment and fear aside.” “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,” Parton said.

Students were set to perform "Rainbowland," a 2017 duet by Miley Cyrus and her godmother, Dolly Parton, with lyrics that advocate for inclusion.

But that song was initially banned, too, until parent members of the Alliance for Education in Waukesha addressed the ban with school staff, and administrators eventually reversed the ban, Tempel said. But within one day of students learning the song, Tempel said that school administration asked her to remove "Rainbowland" from the concert. She said that last year, administrators asked teachers throughout the district to take down rainbow decor and to stop wearing rainbow lanyards or clothing. Tempel, for her part, hasn't removed the rainbows from her classroom. And school districts in states including Texas, Louisiana and Michigan have faced bans on books that include LGBTQ characters or topics. School districts across the US are increasingly limiting faculty's ability to discuss LGBTQ topics with their students across grade levels. He told CNN that the district has its own " "Wouldn't it be nice to live in paradise, where we're free to be exactly who we are," Cyrus and Parton sing. Students were also set to perform "Rainbowland," a 2017 duet by Miley Cyrus and her godmother, Dolly Parton, with lyrics that advocate for inclusion. Tempel and her co-teacher, dual-language instructors at the school, wanted the concert to have a theme of world unity and peace. "The love and acceptance piece, and being who you are, I don't think there's anything political about that." When reached by CNN, Waukesha school district Superintendent James Sebert did not specify why "Rainbowland" was deemed controversial.

Miley Cyrus' Happy Hippie Foundation donated to an inclusive LGBTQ book program after her Dolly Parton duet 'Rainbowland' was banned by a Wis. school.

After “Rainbowland” was axed, the school’s music teacher replaced it with the Muppets’ “Rainbow Connection,” which was also initially banned, but later accepted after pushback from parents and Waukesha’s Alliance for Education. We believe in our Happy Hippie heart that you’ll be the ones to brush the judgment and fear aside and make all of us more understanding and accepting,” read a tweet from the organization. In a series of posts on Wednesday night (March 29) from the singer’s [Happy Hippie Foundation](https://www.happyhippies.org/) — a non-profit that supports the LGBTQ community and homeless youth — the group announced that they are making a donation to a worthy cause in honor of the Heyer students.