Black sheep banned at nursery

March 08, 2006

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A NURSERY is teaching children to sing Baa Baa "rainbow" sheep rather than Baa baa black sheep - to avoid causing offence.

The new words to the traditional ditty, which generations of children have sung, have been altered by bosses at the Family Centre in Abingdon, Oxfordshire and the Sure Start centre in nearby Sutton Courtenay.

Stuart Chamberlain, the Sure Start centre's manager, told the Oxford Star weekly paper: "We have taken the equal opportunities approach to everything we do.

"This is fairly standard across nurseries. We are following stringent equal opportunities rules. No one should feel pointed out because of their race, gender or anything else."

But the charity Parents and Children Together, which runs the two centres, as well as two others in Didcot and Berinsfield, insisted the changes - which they have made in all of their family centres - were not down to race issues.

Energy

In a statement released today, PACT said: "PACT has established that children at the two family centres sing a variety of descriptive words in the nursery rhyme to turn the song into an action rhyme.

"They sing happy, sad, bouncing, hopping, pink, blue, black & white sheep etc and they also exchange boy and girl at the end of the rhyme. This encourages the children to extend their vocabulary and use up some energy.

"PACT is an organisation that values diversity and above all encourages children to enjoy themselves and have fun."

A straw poll of other local nurseries revealed that the alterations are not standard.

Jill Edge, of The Sunshine Centre in Banbury, north Oxfordshire, said the move smacked of "tokenism".

She said: "We sing Baa Baa Black Sheep and Baa Baa White Sheep because that's reality, that's what the children see in the fields and it encourages them to look around them.

Issues

"Realistically, they are not going to see rainbow sheep in the fields. There are much better ways of addressing these issues."

The earliest known printing of the words to Baa baa blacks sheep was 1744.

The educational rhyme, with its onomatopoeic bleating, is intended to teach children about the wool trade and the animals that produce it. At the time England produced some of the finest wool in Europe.

In 2000, proposals to ban the rhyme in Birmingham nurseries on the grounds it was negative and could cause offence were rejected by the city council.

DO you agree with the nursery rhyme ruling? Have your say.

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dave, manchester (08/03/2006 at 13:49)

It's been baa baa black sheep for the 30 odd years I've been alive and it will remain baa baa black sheep. My son has just learnt the nursery rhyme the way it was intended to be - with a black sheep. Now leave me alone to play with my gollywog.

PW, Manchester (08/03/2006 at 15:34)

The looneys have overpowered the staff and taken over the asylum ages ago. I was talking to a Russian guy last week, and while discussing the state of the UK, he did use the word "cuckoo" a great many times, and pointing to his temple. He thinks we're soft for letting it all go on. It was refreshing to talk to someone who has common sense, but alas I had to eventually leave him and venture back into this looney society again. At first opportunity, I'm checking out and taking everything with me. It may sound like a good old rant, but I know I'm not alone in feeling this way about "Great" Britain.

anon, mancs (08/03/2006 at 15:53)

we are just ending up like the yanks with all this bizzare behaviour.

mufc, london (08/03/2006 at 15:54)

Well go and live in Russia then, and have it all taken back off you..

Samantha, Barcelona (08/03/2006 at 16:06)

Why don't we just get rid of the word 'black' altogether just in case it offends anyone! Absolutely ridiculous!

Mr Rose, Blackley, Manchester (08/03/2006 at 16:32)

HOW RIDICULUS WILL SNOW WHITE BE CHANGED TO SNOW BLACK TO AVOID CAUSING OFFENCE TO WHITE PEOPLE/ THESE PEOPLE ARE BEING PAID GOOD MONEY FOR THESE DECISIONS.

Katie, manchester (08/03/2006 at 16:35)

Is there such a colour as rainbow in an animal??? Black sheep and white sheep yes, I will still teach my children the way i was taught which is Baa Baa BLACK sheep, the poor children will be confused thinking there are mulii coloured sheep out there. If the song is wrote about a black sheep then thats what it shall remain! As if it was written about a white sheep then would this have been changed?????

Observer, Manchester (08/03/2006 at 16:37)

Why don't they just ban the word "black" in GB - it's obviously very offensive. Next time you want a black coat or a black jumper beware, you could be accused of being racist or causing offence. And woe betide you see a black sheep in a field - blimey, how offensive is that?!? Now then, how do I describe my friend who has very lovely curly black hair without being offensive? Answers on a postcard please.

Anon, Manchester (08/03/2006 at 16:47)

There was a crooked man, who... oops surely this rhyme is offensive to disabled people. I think this one also has to go. Hupty dumpty sat on a wall, humpty dumpty had a great fall, all the monarch's horses and all the monarch's men/women (omit as required) couldn't put humpty together again... rolls of the toungue doesn't it! Poor kids of the next generation, who will grow up brain washed robots.

Mrs H Wallace, North Manchester (08/03/2006 at 21:01)

Ermmm should we tell the tale of Little Red Riding Hood as Little Riding Hood incase we upset the Red Indians... This PC rubbish has gone too far, has Noddy suddenly stopped nodding for fear of offending people with whip lash, poor Big Ears er does no one have BIG ears,this country has gone stark raving mad....sorry have I just upset the people in Mental Hospitals...the list goes on. When I was a kid I got calledFrog Eyes cos of my huge brown eyes...blimey as I got older did I love em...Why I got the guys after me no end.....

This has all got to stop...

H.W

me, manchester (08/03/2006 at 21:47)

FFS PC gone barmy as usual - do ppl in countries where the majority of the population are black omit the use of the word 'white' no cos they have sense and are not forever scared of insulting or offending ppl of another race when its quite clear no offense is meant - its time this country got a grip

Roy Stones, China (09/03/2006 at 03:44)

The people who implement and support such things are the real racists, the have nothing else better to do or think about than discrimination. My 4 yr old is half Korean, what do I tell her,, baa baa slightly yellowish ex black sheep ?
Now ex Manc in Asia,,,,,,

Anthony, Accrington,Lancashire (09/03/2006 at 10:32)

If I sing Baa Baa Black Sheep and any of you try to stop me, you will ALL get what for!!!!!! AND THAT INCLUDES POLICE EDUCATION OFFICIALS WHOEVER. YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO TELL CHILDREN AND ANYBODY WHAT THEY CAN AND CANT SING IN NURSERY RHYMES FOR A RIDICULOUS EXCHANGE TO SOME RIDICULOUS PC VERSES. STUFF THE RACISM AND SING IT AS IT'S MEANT TO BE SUNG!!!

ant, tameside (09/03/2006 at 10:48)

I have a 2yr old son, a 7yrold step son and one on the way!, they will all be taught the way I and my partner have been, I will not ommit words such as black etc, ask an ethic minority what is their Nationality over half will answer ENGLISH!, so if your ENGLISH, then you accept the english language and way of life all these MPS and PC people go find a tiny remote island and live there, it is getting absolutly out of hand, theres no such thing as a rainbow sheep!! for crying out loud!, if things are said / spoken in an offensive manner then fine but to change a nursery rhyme is stupid. . . . the way things are going the word BLACK will be abolished for good!.

mufc, london (09/03/2006 at 10:59)

I actually think that is the far right that are instigating all these things to cause uproar. As it is doing. It actually makes people feel racist when they are told they can't do this that and the other

Katie, manchester (09/03/2006 at 11:06)

I asked for a black biro in work this morning, will that be changed now as that may be looked upon as not PC!

mark little, manchester (09/03/2006 at 15:31)

how perfetic can you get?
i mean black ppl are not even botherd about this! its only stupid white ppl that make this rubbish up !
my child will be taught the proper original song !
i mean ba ba rainbow sheep?
that is so un educational
when do you ever see a rainbow sheep?

Billy Huss, Prestwich (09/03/2006 at 15:32)

I suppose 'Little Black Sambo' isn't read either.

Gord, Canada (10/03/2006 at 04:10)

Over here across the big puddle, Gay groups have adopted the rainbow flag as their symbol. I often wondered where they got the material to make them...now we know....imported rainbow wool from rainbow sheep. Anyone checked the sexual preference of these sheep?

Reggina Brown, Greater Manchester (10/03/2006 at 15:35)

I hope the misguided people who have responded to this report in a frivolous way are just as amused when GMP officers arrive at their front door and arrest them. They must realise that language such as black sheep, black list, blackmail, black cloud, black spot and any other word which implies blackness such as boot polish is illegal under a law which is not yet on the statute book. If people wish to refer to issues of blackness which may offend what appears to be mostly white people, then the term off-white may be more acceptable.

PW, Manchester (10/03/2006 at 15:57)

Reggina, your excessive use of the word "bl*ck" in your post has sent shockwaves through me. If anyone is going to be arrested, I think it's likely to be you. Apologies to everyone for my post being made in a bl*ck font. I suggest the MEN start to use blue or something. But please take legal advice first.

Sandra, Galway (10/03/2006 at 17:23)

This is madness. Those who agree should check out the Campaign Against Political Correctness website.

alan watkins, belfast (10/03/2006 at 19:21)

this is very silly but sad especially when there is so much real suffering in the world among children. I think it just shows the mind numbing mentality of some people who make decisions based on ignorance. Its almost laughable if it was not so damaging. So are we saying the work 'black' is offenensive n its own right? - oh dear:(

amy, Manchester (10/03/2006 at 21:27)

Reggina get a grip!
We are talking pre-school children here, who are absolutely and obviously NOT racist and will never be racist as a result of singing this rhyme.
I am an early years worker and know that baa baa black sheep was written about taxation. it was not written to cause offence to black people!!!!
All nursery rhymes have meanings, most are digs at kings or queens.
It is down to people putting other meanings behind these rhymes ( such as racism ) that cause problems and begin to cause offence to others.
By educating children about the true meanings of the rhymes and the stories behind them will suffice......not changing the words or banning them!

Mike Wilson, Cumbria (10/03/2006 at 22:07)

Why can't the people who ban this sort of thing realise that they are the real racists?

What they're teaching people is that the word 'black' is inferior and sensitive so we must change it to something that won't hurt their feelings.

I would like to see them removed from any position of influence.

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