A tour of Kindergarten classes quickly turned dark after a Massachusetts mother came across a particularly morbid nursery rhyme that soundtracks lockdown preparations for young students.
This should not be hanging in my soon-to-be-kindergartener’s classroom. pic.twitter.com/mWiJVdddpH
— Georgy Cohen (@radiofreegeorgy) June 6, 2018
“Lockdown lockdown, lock the door, shut the lights off say no more,” read the lyrics on the classroom chalkboard about what to do in case of a school shooting or similar situation. “Go behind the desk and hide, wait until it’s safe inside. Lockdown lockdown, it’s all done. Now it’s time to have some fun.”
Inevitably, the words were of deep horror to Georgy Cohen, who was browsing various schools throughout the Somerville public school system for her 5-year-old daughter to attend in the fall, according to the Boston Globe. The photo of the classroom poster, which Cohen later tweeted, drew the attention of other users who expressed similar sentiments of disgust surrounding the themes of the song and its cutesy treatment.
Jesus, that’s to the tune of the alphabet song, and Twinkle Twinkle… what a horrifying contribution to the songbook.
— Margot Bloomstein (@mbloomstein) June 6, 2018
https://twitter.com/hazelandbay/status/1004549468744757249
I am so sorry for all of you.😢
— 🇺🇦Proud European from🇪🇺🇦🇹 🌏 (@e2dot7182818284) June 6, 2018
.
Kids in Austria only know fire drills.
Which amount to a leisurely stroll to the school yard…
Thats how it should be
Cohen said that although the spectacle of such a song is discomfiting, she realizes that these kinds of measures have to be taken in today’s public schools. “These are the things they, unfortunately, have to do,” she said in an interview with the Globe. “Part of their job is to educate and keep my kids safe, and I feel confident they are going to do both of those things to the best of their ability.”
She did mention, however, that in light of recent events, she worries the song may be normalizing school shootings and that she wants to people to remain sensitive to the issue.
Administration officials at the Somerville Public School system have yet to comment on the song and the viral response to Cohen’s tweet.
H/T the Cut