John Lennon's "Imagine" Banned from School Show...

[Harbidge]

What utter, utter rubbish this is! Whatever happened to freedom of expression and choice eh? Do these people honestly think that a bunch of kids are going to have their entire Religious beliefs anarchised by 2 lines of a 35 year old song?

Church school bans Lennon classic

A church school in Devon has withdrawn John Lennon's Imagine from an end-of-term show after teachers ruled that its lyrics were anti-religious.

Pupils at St Leonards Primary in Exeter, Devon, had spent weeks rehearsing the song.

But it was taken out of the running order after the head teacher and governors decided it was anti-Christian and unsuitable for the school.

The lyrics include: "Imagine there's no heaven... and no religion too."

Head teacher Geoff Williams said a teacher approached him because she did not think the song was appropriate.

He said: "The teacher came to talk to me about it because she was concerned and I supported her.

"As a church school we decided it was not appropriate to sing it."

The school has close links with the nearby St Leonards Church whose rector, the Rev David Harris, is also a school governor.

He said: "The song expresses longing for a different world and for eternal happiness but it says you can have this without religion."

The annual song festival at the school was held last week on the theme of Songs for a Green Earth and Imagine was replaced by The Building Song.

Steve Bailey, who manages the Beatles Shop in Liverpool, said: "I am not surprised this song is still controversial.

"I do not know if the song is suitable for children from a church school.

"It does have an optimistic message which is crucial in its own way."

Link (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/5193816.stm)

[ringo_girl87]

that reminds me of a school play my public school did last year. IT was about the Jews in Nazi prisoner camps and they wanted to end it with that song. They changed two of those lyrics, at first I was shocked, but the song really did fit otherwise with it.

[SF4-EVER]

My niece sang "Imagine" a few years ago for a (public) school concert, and they also changed the lyrics. I think they thought it was inappropriate for kids to say "hell."

[erinluv182]

I really have to say that if the school is a private church school, then they really have every right to exclude it if they want.

[chachaBOOM909]

I really have to say that if the school is a private church school, then they really have every right to exclude it if they want.

Agreed, though personally I think they're being ridiculous :rolleyes:

[Cardboard.canvas]

Almost all extremists are somewhat ridiculous in my opinion, but being raised Catholic, I've got to say that the worst radicals are the uber-Christian groups. My church is always putting down free thinkers. They always say awful things about people like me, and infer that they're superior and they're always right. Not everything one needs to know to understand good and bad is in the bible. I just think some people go way overboard, and I can't stand thinking about these groups that ban any form of art. A while back one parent...one freaking parent didn't like the book "The Bluest Eye" and didn't want her daughter to read it...so she tried to stop every single child in Bakersfield City School District from reading it too...I think she wanted to go for the entire county, but I don't know. It's terrible.
But of course, in this case, it's a private Christian school and I'm sure ALL the parents are the same way and in agreement so...they do what they want.
Public schools, however...no parent should dare to ban any form of art.
It's quite difficult to understand my views sometimes, I apologize..
that's why I tend to write so much..it's hard for me to make myself clear..and no matter how detailed I try describe something, it's not the same as what I'm actually trying to say.
Sorry about that.

[AmericanBeatle]

Well, as some have said, they are a church school and it would seem a bit of an oxymoron for an institution that is based upon a religion, believes in a Heaven and a Hell, to perform a song that wishes to imagine that there weren't such institutions or places.

[loup-garou]

Though this makes me angry, because I hate when things are "sanitized"(to extreme extents) so they don't offend people, but the bottom line is it is a private school we're talking about here. I suppose they can do what they want... :scream2: Long live artistic freedom!!!

[lennonluvr9]

Wow. sounds like something my high school would have done. The administration there seemed to be really against that sort of thing. I think that's going a little extreme though...

[MonaMe577]

Well, I think Imagine's a beautiful song with a message that's become more and more relevant lately, what with all the crap going on in the world. But I could totally see why you might not want to sing, "no Heaven...no Hell...no religion too," in church. Not exactly the most appropriate material for the venue. It'd be like doing "Brick in the Wall" at an elementary school pageant. :afraid2:

[loup-garou]

It'd be like doing "Brick in the Wall" at an elementary school pageant. :afraid2:

:laugh5: ...that would be hilarious

[beatlebangs1964]

Seems rather extreme to me.

Still, there is justice on both sides. Since it is a church school, I can understand (but not agree with) their position.

[sourmilkpinky]

What utter, utter rubbish this is! Whatever happened to freedom of expression and choice eh?


ummm and the school shouldn't have the same freedom of choice? :wink2:

[AmericanBeatle]

ummm and the school shouldn't have the same freedom of choice? :wink2:


Very good point.

[Harbidge]

I know what I said at the beginning now was a bit harsh, was caught up in the moment (as I usually do). But it seems a bit silly though, yeah, considering that all the schoolkids had been learning and singing the song for over three weeks before it was decided that they shouldn't be performing it.

[BeatlesFan4life]

Thats pretty rude of the school teachers to decide on banning this song from the school show.