Oct 13, 2009 6:07 am US/Eastern
Protesters Rail Against Obama Song In N.J. School
Parents Revolt, Say Having Kids Sing Song Is "Brainwashing"
Woman To CBS 2 HD: "This Is Not America. This Is A Communist Country"
BURLINGTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBS) ―
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A protester holds a sign during a rally on Oct. 12, 2009 against a New Jersey school where students sang a song in praise of President Barack Obama
CBS
A New Jersey elementary school is under scrutiny after students were seen on tape singing a song in praise of President Barack Obama.
On Monday, dozens of protesters chanted outside the school, saying the children are being brainwashed.
"Educate, don't indoctrinate; Educate don't indoctrinate," they chanted.
The demonstrators protested across the street from the "B" Bernice Young Elementary School in Burlington Township. They carried signs saying "No Kiddie Propaganda" and "No Politics In The Classroom."
They are angry about a video made at the school last March.
It shows a group of children singing a song about President Obama. The occasion was a visit by the author of the children's book titled "I Am Barack Obama."
But this wasn't the first time students at the school sang the song. School officials said it was performed a month earlier at an assembly, and that the lyrics were sent home to parents in advance. But one mother, who protested Monday, said that's not true.
"These words never came home. Obama. Say yes to Obama. Find your inner Obama. That's brainwashing," Gina Pronchick said.
"This is not America. This is a communist country."
Added parent Gina Altokova: "I came from former Soviet Union as a kid. I was singing songs to the leader Brezhnev and all the others. They were bigger than God.
"Millions of us were singing songs to Gerat leaders. This is a shame. This must stop."
A smaller group of people held a counter protest, chanting "Barack Hussein Obama; Barack Hussein Obama."
"I have no problem with the song. Kids sing songs and make rhymes," one person said.
"I have a little cousin who goes to this school when the whole thing was going on and I personally think this is ridiculous," added Lauren Robinson of Burlington Township.
Protesters maintained the song crossed a line.
"They need to stick to reading, writing and arithmetic," one person opposed said.
School officials said the song was not intended to make a political statement or promote a political agenda. The teacher who was in charge of the class has retired.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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