Ohio Middle Schoolers Sing About Cotton Picking, Shocking Parents

HOLLAND, OH — A video posted on Facebook shows eighth-grade choir at Springfield Middle School singing about workers cheerfully picking cotton, which many online commenters say is a racist reference to black slaves toiling in the fields of the South. Some parents were stunned to hear the choir singing about picking cotton, which happened days after other students in the district took pictures and videos of themselves with a Confederate flag outside a high school.

"Cotton Needs Pickin'" was performed Thursday during a fall concert at the Holland middle school, The Blade reported. Parent Nicole Maulsby, who is Cuban, posted a video of the performance online. Her husband, Alonzo, who is black, left the auditorium during the song, she said.

The song originated from a book of American folk music, Springfield Schools Superintendent Matt Geha said. He added that he hadn't received any calls Friday but knew of the social media complaints.

"I know that timing can sound bad, but it's a historical component for what the choir department had to use for their curriculum," Geha said.

The short song includes the lyrics: "Cotton needs pickin' so bad, we're going'na pick all over this field."

Maulsby told The Blade the performance came "a little bit too close" to when a racial slur was "being used directly across the street in the parking lot."

Earlier this month, about a dozen male students affiliated with a Christian youth organization called Young Life recorded themselves with a Confederate flag during what has been described as a rally. Some images of the rally posted on Snapchat reportedly included racial slurs.

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