Ba Ba Black Sheep - why ban it?

[Biscuit]

Children now sing 'Ba Ba Rainbow Sheep' no idea how long this has been the case, but is it going to far?

From HERE
"In the age of political correctness, even the nursery-rhyme it seems is unsafe after a school in Birmingham was told to stop teaching the song 'Baa Baa Black Sheep' because ``of racial undertones''. Look I am all about being sensitive and shit, when it is appropriate to be sensitive but my God, Baa Baa Black Sheep racist?

I mean I can see if the song was written as a tune to tease enslaved African’s or something but damn, the song was written in 1275 about 200 years before the African Slave Diaspora even began and it was written in protest to a wool tax. A spokes person from the Independent Working Group on racism in Children’s Resources in favor of the ban says that ``Whenever the word black is attached to another word it creates a negative meaning which can make children feel embarrassed and confused about their identity,” "

 

[Trufflehound]

Children now sing 'Ba Ba Rainbow Sheep' no idea how long this has been the case, but is it going to far?

I haven't been at school for a while, but I was led to believe this story is made-up scaremongering urban myth bollocks isn't it?

 

[1066gull]

We have more white sheep on the farm than black sheep.

Am I racist?

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

What I want to know is what thought processes people go thru when they THINK that people are going to be offended.

Why not ask those people whether they are offended BEFORE assuming that they will be.

Sake.

 

[Lokki 7]

I also thought this was made up. Does anyone have a source better than, "a school in Birmingham"?

 

[Yoda]

Remember seeing a story about them trying to get it passed a while ago.

 

[Biscuit]

Family Centre in nearby Abingdon.

In 1999 Birmingham City Council said the rhyme should not be taught in school because it was racially negative and could cause offence. Last year a number of nursery schools in western Scotland began singing 'Baa Baa Happy Sheep'. And some children in London have also been taught 'Baa Baa Green Sheep'. At least one other traditional rhyme has also been targeted.

Three years ago Mothercare sold cassette tapes and CDs with a new version of Humpty Dumpty in which there was a happy ending.

In the PC version, Humpty Dumpty was able to 'count to ten and get up again'.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/li...4&in_page_id=1770&in_page_id=1770&expand=true

 

[Hungry Joe]

Remember seeing a story about them trying to get it passed a while ago.

Yes, exactly that, some idiot suggested it and tried to get it put in as policy and was soundly put in their place by the head and governers. That didn't stop it being seized upon by the gutter press and misrepresented as 'school bans ba ba blacksheep'.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

I also thought this was made up. Does anyone have a source better than, "a school in Birmingham"?

How about the nursery in Hangleton where my 3 year old nephew goes! There, it's Ba Ba GREEN sheep! He also got a "Sad face" drawn in his day book for pretending to use a banana as a gun

 

[Silent Bob]

We have more white sheep on the farm than black sheep.

That explains a lot.

 

[Trufflehound]

He also got a "Sad face" drawn in his day book for pretending to use a banana as a gun

Should think so too. Hasn't anyone ever taught him he'll never be able to mug anyone with a banana?

 

[Hampden Park]

a lot of people in birmingham have black sheep and they are all called baba so i cant see the problem

 

[Man of Harveys]

There, it's Ba Ba GREEN sheep!

I'm shocked. I feel violated and frankly abused even, by the fact that small children - in 2006, in case we forget! - sing about different coloured sheep. In Hangleton, of all places! Right on our front door step! Who are they to come here and tell us which colour sheep to sing about?! How would they like it if we did that to them?

Right, that's enough...I'm mad as hell about the colour of sheep being sung about in Hangleton and I'm not gonna take any more!!!

 

[Biscuit]

I've heard it called 'Ba Ba Happy Sheep' ffs.

 

[Kukev31]

Ba Ba African-American Sheep, does have a nice ring to it.

 

[Trufflehound]

The actual non-story by the way:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/600470.stm

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

I'm shocked. I feel violated and frankly abused even, by the fact that small children - in 2006, in case we forget! - sing about different coloured sheep. In Hangleton, of all places! Right on our front door step! Who are they to come here and tell us which colour sheep to sing about?! How would they like it if we did that to them?

Right, that's enough...I'm mad as hell about the colour of sheep being sung about in Hangleton and I'm not gonna take any more!!!

All very valid points I'm sure, and you're right to be indignant, but have you ever seen a GREEN sheep? What's wrong with being factual for the sake of educating our younger generation?

How about;

Ba Ba MUDDY sheep
Ba Ba BALD sheep
Ba Ba SCABBY sheep
Ba Ba SCRAPIE sheep


Unless the sheep has leaf mould, gangrene or has been dipped in MUSHY PEAS, Ba Ba GREEN sheep is just wrong!

 

[Brovion]

This keeps coming up and I'm sure at sometime some well-meaning but actually deeply cretinous person somewhere DID change the words to 'Baa Baa <insert non-offensive color here> sheep'. I'm also sure the sheer stupidity of their actions was eventually recognised and sanity was restored. However I'm not going to criticise too much, at least they were thinking about racism, even if the solution they did come up with was mindblowingly insane.

I've quoted this before but it's worth saying again. Black Labour MP Diane Abbot has said she accepts 'black' is a color and she's not offended everytime she sees a washing powder advertisment that promises to get your clothes 'whiter than white'.

If anyone sings anything other than "baa baa black sheep" anywhere near me then they'll get an earful. And on the subject of altered lyrics it's "going up AND WE'LL win the Cup" not "TO win the cup." I may have mentioned that before.

 

[Hungry Joe]

or Ba Ba one eye hanging out and a prolapsed rectum sheep?

 

[Hungry Joe]

And on the subject of altered lyrics it's "going up AND WE'LL win the Cup" not "TO win the cup." I may have mentioned that before.

I still prefer the original "you can tell them all that we stand or fall", brings a tear to my eye that.