-- to be sung to the tune of REM’s “Shiny Happy People” --
Shiny happy flyers hanging!
[The fliers:]
Put us on the wall! Post us! Post us!
Common Core for all! Standards! Standards!
Test them ‘til they fall! Children! Children!
Make them feel so small
that they won’t question why!
Help us close their minds!
Shiny happy flyers telling lies!
[etc.]
[The children:]
Teach us to the test! Happy! Happy!
We will try our best! Strive high! Strive high!
Data doesn’t rest! Numbers! Numbers!
Tape them to our chest
and we won’t question why!
Occupy our minds!
Shiny happy flyers telling lies!
[etc.]
[The Angels of Corporate-Educratic Reform – Michelle Rhee, Charlotte Danielson, and Arne Duncan. First Charlotte, dressed as a 19th-century schoolhouse teacher, pointing to herself:]
Schoolmarm dressed in black! Charlotte! Charlotte!
[Michelle Rhee dressed up as Donald Duck, pointing to herself:]
DC’s raving quack! Rhee-rhee! Rhee-rhee!
[Arne Duncan dressed in a Michael Jordan uniform, carrying a basketball in one arm and a blown-up copy of Diane Ravitch’s Reign of Error in the other:]
Ravitch, talking smack! [Michelle and Charlotte, on either side of Duncan:] Duncan! Duncan!
Barry was on crack
when he put you in charge!
Lunacy at large!
Shiny happy flyers telling lies!
[etc.]
________________________________________
*Reference to a propaganda piece in support of the Common Core State Standards published by the Hawaii Department of Education and distributed to teachers across the state for their consideration.