Parents Get High School To Block Visit By Macklemore – And $10,000 Prize

A California high school that won a visit – and $10,000 prize – to have Macklemore talk with students has succumbed to the objections of a few parents.

Aliso Niguel High School, in Aliso Viejo, California is a top ranked public high school that serves about 3000 students. The school entered and won a contest by Chegg, an online that rents textbooks and supports educational endeavors. The prize: A visit from Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, and $10,000.

Concerned parents have convinced school administrators that the Grammy award winning duo promote drug use and misogyny, which is not only untrue but extremely far from the truth. Macklemore has spoken openly about his experience with drug addiction.

“Of all the people in mainstream pop and hip-hop who could possibly be accused of promoting misogyny and drug use to the point where they would be denied direct interaction with the youth of today, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are probably somewhere at the bottom of that list,” writes Vice’s Emma Garland.

But the parents, apparently offering no proof, won.

“What I’m pissed about is the fact that our music programs don’t recieve [sic] any funding, and that we run on donations, so we don’t get the $10,000 music grant to support our performing arts department,” one student posted on Reddit.

There’s also a Change.org petition.

The prize of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis isn’t even a concert. It’s “a live crash-course and Q&A session on their experiences in the music and entertainment industries,” Chegg explained.

“With all due respect,” student Quinn Darling posted on Instagram, “I believe admin has made a huge mistake. I am personally offended by their decision as it is based off outdated evidence and our leaders have failed to see all the amazing movements and messages these artists have focused on spreading over the past few years which would be beneficial to every student at our school. Most significant being a Gay-Rights movement and also many Anti-Drug messages. I am here to say our voice matters and we have been robbed of this amazing opportunity. I encourage you to repost this message or Respectfully share your own thoughts and work with us to spread a movement of Students speaking out for what is fair and just. #bringbackmack”

Macklemore on Twitter called it “disappointing.”

Darling, some students, and others, have taken to Twitter:

And this student posted her thoughts on YouTube:

 

Video via Fox LA
Image: Screenshot via Chegg
Hat tip: MTV