I think profanity may be part and parcel of 'some' pop music, but not all. Not being a big fan of pop music, I couldn't say for sure. But I think my own kids are kind turned off by it. I think my oldest is most fond of Smashmouth (which I only know from Shrek) and the youngest likes Beethoven, Jimmy Buffett, and April Lavigne. (Okay, Jimmy Buffett does get a bit rowdy ... not sure whether he curses, but it can't be that frequently if he does.)
Is it possible the kid was prone to hyperbole? I mean, a lot of times kids are not really great at communicating exactly what they think (I kinda suspect the same is true for a lot of adults) - mostly because they don't really have the mental discipline to work through exactly what they think or why they think it.
I really missed out on the music part of my education when I was growing up. Unlike with my experience with gym class where my "teachers" were mostly incompetent losers, and some of the other courses where it was a mix of bad teaching and good teaching along with my own boneheadedness, my music teachers, I think were mostly pretty good. My failure to gain anything of value there was entirely my own fault. (Music was the only class I was ever thrown out of - and rightly so.) Of course I'm not trying to say your scenario isn't a tragedy. I have some regret now for my former intransigence. I suspect that boy will too, if he really believes what he says.
OTOH, it seems like a digression could be made under the umbrage of the SOL
"Investigate, the third strand, involves students in the study and practice of music theory through music reading, notation, and sight-reading. It also requires the use of critical thinking skills to analyze the manner in which music is organized. Students will identify the style and distinctive characteristics of music which delineate each of the basic music historical periods, as well as the influence of twentieth century technology and compositional techniques employed in all genres of music. Students will also investigate the vocal timbres that are unique to children, adolescents, and adults. Students will be guided in the development of criteria for making informed artistic judgments about music, and the other arts, and for evaluating the role of music in society."
Also, I wonder if you could send home via "infogram" or communicate by other means this episode to parents. It's kinduva double-edged sword there - I know I used to really get insulted by the "advice" my kids bring from the schools.
But it's possible to make a statement, I think, that parents could be informed by (and presumably read between the lines). I mean, I think parents would be interested in this - even if this particular boy is failed, perhaps some other parent could gain some insight and appreciation for "your" job. I don't think you would even have to comment on the situation. Simply relating the event might be sufficient for most people to connect the dots.
k
