NEW YORK, (UPI) — A New York principal criticized for cutting Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" from a kindergarten graduation has also cut Justin Bieber's "Baby."
PS 90 Principal Greta Hawkins, who received sharp criticism from parents and other locals when it emerged she decided not to have the kindergarten students sing Greenwood's patriotic tune at their June 20 graduation, released a set list for the event that also revealed Bieber's "Baby" had been removed from the program, the New York Post reported Wednesday.
The program will include "We're All Together Again," "The World is a Rainbow," "Shake Your Sillies Out" by Raffi, and "You've Got a Friend in Me" from the movie "Toy Story."
Some parents at the school, which has been beset by months of tension between Hawkins, teachers and parents, said cutting the Bieber tune was a political move to draw attention away from the Greenwood snub.
"She's trying to keep the heat off her back," parent Luz Lozada said. "We made a big uproar and I'm glad they did something about it. That song was not right for this age group. They should just leave the 'God Bless the USA' song."
