The one word in the classic nursery rhyme that has child care centres concerned.
Nursery rhymes and songs, for centuries, been used to encourage children to talk and piece sounds together. You probably still have some familiar ones rattling around in your head from when you were a child yourself.
So if Baa, Baa, Black Sheep is one that you particularly favoured, I’m sorry, but I’m about to bring your world crashing down.
Recently some childcare centres in Melbourne have deemed the classic nursery rhyme to be racist. That’s right, racist. Lyrics to the song have even been changed because of the racial connotation associated with a “black” sheep.
So what do teachers do with the rhyme instead? “We try to introduce a variety of sheep,” says Celine Pieterse, co-ordinator of Malvern East’s Central Park Child Care. In other words, children are encouraged to pick any coloured sheep they like. Whether it be pink, blue or any other colour in the rainbow.
Think this is political correctness gone mad? Well so did lots of other parents, with one mother telling The Herald Sun, “What ignorance. The rhyme has nothing to do with race.”
But as far as history goes, Baa, Baa, Black Sheep isn’t the only kids’ rhyme that’s come under fire for being racist. Check out these other classics:
1. Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe.
The words go like this:
"Eeny, meeny, miny, moe,/Catch a nigger by the toe./If he hollers, let him go,/Eeny, meeny, miny, moe."
Well at least, that’s the original, "nigger" was later replaced by tiger.
2. Bowl of Cherries/Pick a Bale of Cotton.
The words go like this:
"Gonna jump down, turn around, pick a bale of cotton. Gotta jump down, turn around, Oh, Lordie, pick a bale a day."
The song is known to make a joke of conditions for American slaves.
Top Comments
Sure as far as some are concerned, but the Stephen Foster ones and Jimmy cracks corn, well, as a criminal psychologist I believe anyone who reads those connotations into these is a potential pervert, and should be monitored. Re: Baa baa black sheep, I know of an African kid who took offence when the class was told to sing "rainbow sheep". His parents subsequently removed him from that school.
Shortnin' Bread was originally written in 1900 by James Whitcomb Riley, but you put your on spin on it to make it racist. Give over for God's sake... stop this nonsense.