Parents Get God Back in 'God Bless the USA'

[stormchazer]

Cooler heads finally prevail!


Parents Get God Back in 'God Bless the USA'

Monday, December 08, 2003



OXNARD, Calif. — Angry parents got "God" put back in Lee Greenwood's (search) patriotic anthem "God Bless the USA," which was changed to "I Love the USA" by the directors of a school show.

Kaila Kaden took issue after learning the word "God" was removed from the song her daughter Jackie will sing in this spring's Cinemagic show benefiting Pleasant Valley schools.

The April 2-3 show at Pacifica High School follows a mishandled suitcase across America and the finale features 200 students singing "God Bless the USA."

The show's directors decided to use "I Love the USA" because they thought the word "God" would violate laws separatiin Pleasant Valley schools, she said.

"We didn't want a lawsuit," said Cinemagic chairwoman Peggy Smith. "It could lead to the demise of Cinemagic and arts programs ... because of one word."

School board President Ron Speakman said there was a misinterpretation of state law and district policy. While schools cannot advocate any religion, Speakman said laws do not forbid reference to God.

"It was a misguided attempt to be politically correct, and it has been rectified," Speakman said.

The Oxnard Union High School District voted in 1999 to change the name of what is now Pacifica High School because the original name -- Pacifico -- was the name of a popular Mexican beer. The change came before the $60 million campus was completed.

The trustees said the letter change would avoid any comparisons to a brand of beer.

A committee of parents, students and teachers decided on the name in 1997, selecting Mar Pacifico, which means Pacific Ocean, from 52 possible names. The board shortened it to Pacifico, which in Spanish means easy or calm.

"Actually, when we had the groundbreaking at the school, people said, 'You're naming it after a beer?"' board member Nancy Koch said at the time.

Several ministers had expressed some reservations about the name, she said, and a handful of district teachers agree it's best to change it to Pacifica, she said.




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[streetsoldier]

But, what will this do to "Dos Equis Middle School" and "Ron Rico Elementary"? The mind reels...

[JCT777]

Glad to see that they were able to keep the song title the way it was intended.

[Guest]

I'm very happy too. Small victories like this........ keep them coming. Maybe there is some hope after all....

[blizzard]

That about sums it up for me. This PC garbage has got to stop. Good job getting "God" put back in the song and letting them sing it as it was intended.