I just want to relay something that was said by a student this morning in class. His class had earned a music party. The boys' team had earned most points for correct reponses so they will bring the CDs we'll play for the 20-minute party. They can bring whatever selection they want as long as the selection has no profanity or subject-matter inappropriate for 5th grade school children to hear about. Parents sign a release form.

One boy told me while getting ready to leave, "There's no good music to bring here next week."

I asked, "Why not?"

He said, "Because all the good music has cuss words."

There's a world of commentary in his take on popular music. In his point of view, there is no popular music that is 'good' out there that is without 'cuss words.' I'm not suggesting at all that he thinks 'cuss words' are an essential characteristic of good music. But I am sorrowed to have heard his observation that all the 'good music' that's out there (e.g., music with perhaps interesting rhythms, instrumentation, etc.) happens to have 'cuss words' in it as a sideline.

Too sad. Just this one boy's view whether it's reflective of his friends' views or not. Just too sad.