The Portland School District was planning to ban rap music from school buses, according to Fox News. The Oregonian reported that the director of transportation sent a note to bus drivers that told them to stop playing "religious, rap music or talk show programs" Rap music was deemed "inappropriate."
The district is now trying to reverse the order since parents and community members picked up on its racist and discriminatory undertones.
"We regret the way this was communicated. Our intent is to limit student exposure to religious teachings, profanity, and violent lyrics. “The transportation department will be revising its guidance to bus drivers shortly to be more inclusive of different genres of music." said a spokesperson for the Portland School District.
Colleen Ryan-Onken was one of the first parents who publicly spoke out against the memo. She doesn't find the district's apology to be very sincere.
When you outlaw a kind of music that is very indicative of the modern culture of one group of people you're saying that they're not welcome," Ryan-Onken said. "Those of us in the district, living in diverse communities in Portland, understand the racial equity stuff going on is entirely for the cameras. There is no real meat behind it."
According to the Dailymail, the city of Portland has always struggled with its acceptance of rap music. Vice.com explains how "the Portland police and the city have continuously shut down hip-hop clubs." The article also mentions an overall lack of unity and acceptance when it comes to minorities and experiencing different genres of music.
“City ordained dress codes made to target minorities and the culture, pressure for extra permits or police presence to throw hip-hop events, all make it unfeasible for promoters to bring in national acts or festivals, ultimately creating an atmosphere that minimizes the supply of hip-hop and of course, over time, the demand follows suit,” says Illmaculate, a local Portland artist.
Circling back to the hip hop music ban, many parents have seen the note as racist, and wonder how a letter like this could have made it out in the first place.
"This is a racist memo; it clearly wasn’t thought out," Kim Soydyl, a local Oregon parent comments. “It targets one type of music and calls it offensive.”
What I Think
Banning hip hop music from school buses is a small part of a larger issue. What district fails to realize is by targeting hip-hop, they are targeting an important part of African American culture, a culture who many students identify strongly with. Yes, there may be some artists that give rap music a bad name per se or have music that isn't the best choice for young children, but how does banning a whole genre solve the problem?
I hope the city of Portland learns to be accepting. These types of situations are toxic and prohibit a community from coming together. I'd like to see the district's plan for reversing the ban, allowing students to listen to clean versions of all genres of music.
