[Video] Oh, pullease..... Political correctness runs amok again

[David Baxter PhD]

Mom's Itsy Bitsy music complaint bounces girl from T.O. dance school
CBC News
Monday, April 6, 2009

A five-year-old girl has been dropped from a Toronto dance school after her mother complained to school officials about the use of the classic 1960 song Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini in class.

Kara Holm's daughter was enrolled in the jazz, tap and ballet programs at the Randolph Dance Academy in the Annex neighbourhood.

Holm told CBC News she found the content of the song "a little bit alarming" because the lyrics portray the girl as being ashamed of her body.

The song describes a girl who is "afraid to come out of the water" because of her revealing bathing suit.

"I know people are going to think, 'Oh, she's overreacting ? it's just a silly nonsense song,'" Holm said. "I just really felt there was no need to choose that particular song for kids."

When Holm questioned why instructors didn't choose from hundreds of other songs that were more age-appropriate, she said the school kicked her daughter out.

The Randolph Dance Academy said it stands behind the musical choice and has issued a refund to Holm.

A spokesperson told CBC News a number of options were presented, but in the end, parting ways seemed to be the only solution.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

The song lyrics - where does it mention body shame?

Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini
Brian Hyland

Bop bop bop bop bopopopopopopop
She was afraid to come out of the locker
She was as nervous as she could be
She was afraid to come out of the locker
She was afraid that somebody would see
Two three four tell the people what she wore
It was an Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini
That she wore for the first time today
An Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini
So in the locker, she wanted to stay
Two three four stick around we'll tell you more
Bop bop bop bop bopopopopopopop
She was afraid to come out in the open (badadup)
So a blanket around her she wore (badadup)
She was afraid to come out in the open (badadup)
So she sat, bundled up on the shore (badadup)
Two three four tell the people what she wore
It was an Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini
That she wore for the first time today
An Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini
So in the blanket, she wanted to stay
Two three four the stick around we'll tell you more
Bop bop bop bop bopopopopopopop
Now she's afraid to come out of the water
And I wonder what she's gonna do
Now she's afraid to come out of the water
And the poor little girl's turning blue
Two thee four tell the people what she wore
It was an Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini
That she wore for the first time today
An Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini
So in the water, she wanted to stay
From the Locker to the blanket
From the blanket to the shore
From the shore to the water
Guess there isnt any more

 

[David Baxter PhD]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElTd0QbMXGg

 

[white page]

I agree Dr Baxter , it's a cute little song,
Dare we say that the Mom has some sort of issue there ! pfft !
I feel sorry for her little daughter though .

 

[David Baxter PhD]

To me, it's talking about shyness, not Body Dysmorphic Disorder. Some people seem bound and determined to pathologize everything.

 

[Budoaiki]

makes me wonder what her childhood was like...?

 

[Jazzey]

Hi Budoaiki,

Funny, I was more thinking of the poor little girl who just got kicked out of her very first dance recital...I see a lifetime of being kicked out of activities for what I can only term 'overzealous censorship'. So much for letting children be children...I can just hear the explanation that this mother is providing to her child about why she was kicked out...

 

[Budoaiki]

Yes that kind of censorship by a parent provokes a lot of questions and concerns.