Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Coney Island Principal Hates Patriotic Songs, Loves Justin Bieber
By
Ben Yakas
Published Jun 10, 2012
Modified Jun 10, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Ben Yakas
Published Jun 10, 2012
Modified Jun 10, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A Coney Island principal has incurred the wrath of the NY Post by "[pulling] the plug on patriotism"—Greta Hawkins, principal of PS 90 the Edna Cohen School, won't allow kindergartners to sing the song "God Bless The USA" (aka “Proud To Be An American”) at their commencement ceremony. But she is OK with them singing Justin Bieber's "Baby." Can't we all just agree that both songs suck?
Other teachers told the Post Hawkins explained the reason for dropping the Lee Greenwood ballad as such: “We don’t want to offend other cultures,” they quoted her as saying. Staffers also claimed that Hawkins tried to stop the kids from reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and singing “America the Beautiful” each morning, which the Department of Education denies. DOE spokeswoman Jessica Scaperotti said Hawkins just found the "God Bless The USA" lyrics “too grown up” for five-year-olds.
In addition to "Baby," Hawkins is also letting the kids sing scout song “We’re All Together Again,” diversity-celebrating “The World is a Rainbow;” Raffi's “Shake Your Sillies Out;" and Randy Newman's immortal classic “You’ve Got a Friend in Me." So not ALL the songs are unpatriotic paeans to waking up daily not needing no Starbucks.
Parents are expectedly upset: “A lot of people fought to move to America to live freely, so that song should be sung with a whole lot of pride,” said mom Luz Lozada, whose son, Daniel, is in kindergarten. And so are bloggers, including Rob of The Rhino Den, who labels Hawkins "the Principal of Education for the Grand Republic of Douchebagistan. Your tyrannical tendencies will traverse traditional teaching tactics, transforming your students into turds."
Tagged
coney island
Edna Cohen School
greta hawkins
justin bieber
Music
patriotism
ps 90
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?
Thanks to Dua Lipa, Kim Kardashian, Timothée Chalamet and more, the rideshare program is having a moment.
By
Lindsay Lee Wallace
Published Oct 8, 2026
Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?
If you're playing tourist in your own town, this is an in-demand option.
By
James Ramsay
Arts & Entertainment
Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?
If you're playing tourist in your own town, this is an in-demand option.
By
James Ramsay
What happens when NYC kids take lessons in rock music? Really good bands.
By
Jayson Greene
Inside a photographer's journey to visit every neighborhood in New York City
By
Sonia Rao
Banned books and Winnie the Pooh: October in NYC libraries
By
Alec Hamilton
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .