By Rob Schilling, host of “The Schilling Show” on WINA Charlottesville

Within weeks of a national scandal at Stall Brook Elementary School in Bellingham, Massachusetts—where an overzealous government school official removed “God” from Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA”—a local teacher has performed her own secular exorcism on another popular song.

For an upcoming 4th and 5th grade performance at Albemarle County’s Broadus Wood Elementary School in central Virginia, music teacher, Jean Flaherty, has altered a key line from the 1985 Michael Jackson / Lionel Richie composition, “We Are The World.” In an effort to avoid offending non-believers, Flaherty overtly removed lyrical reference to “God.”

The second half of the first verse, as composed by Jackson and Richie, reads:

We can’t go on pretending day by day

That someone, somewhere will soon make a change

We are all a part of God’s great big family

And the truth, you know, Love is all we need

[emphasis added]

Flaherty’s edited version changed the third line:

We are all a part of one great big family

[emphasis added]

Seeking to further shelter her students from Biblical assault, Flaherty made an additional exchange. In a semblant reference to Matthew 4:3, wherein the devil asks Jesus to prove his divinity by turning stone to bread (Jesus did not succumb), the original lyric for verse three, says:

Send them your heart so they’ll know that someone cares

And their lives will be stronger and free

As God has shown us by turning stones to bread

So we all must lend a helping hand

[emphasis added]

Unable or unwilling to subtly alter this (somewhat convoluted) Biblical reference, Ms. Flaherty substituted a god-less verse re-written for We Are The World 25 For Haiti:

Send them your heart so they’ll know that someone cares

So their cries for help will not be in vain

We can’t let them suffer; no we cannot turn away

Right now, they need a helping hand

[emphasis added]

While instructor Flaherty reportedly has told concerned, inquiring parents that their kids are allowed to sing “God” in the modified verse if they so choose, the official lyric sheet does not reflect such an option. And, due to social/peer pressures extant in modern-day government schools, few children are likely to deviate from the rehearsed and distributed lyric in order to vocalize “God” over the suggested “one.”

Lost in the shuffle to shutter references to the Creator are the kids who actually believe that they are children of God, and for whom such blatant redaction, is itself, highly offensive.

There are many god-free alternatives that Ms. Flaherty could have chosen to emphasize the commonality of man, but in selecting a song that was too “offensive” to sing publicly without substantive modification, Flaherty has proven herself utterly tone-deaf to the sensibilities and presentiments of America’s vocal religious remnant.

Full revised lyrics as posted on Ms. Flaherty’s Music Class “homework” page:

There comes a time

When we heed a certain call

When the world must come together as one

There are people dying

And it’s time to lend a hand to life

The greatest gift of all

We can’t go on

Pretending day by day

That someone, somehow will soon make a change

We are all a part of

one great big family

And the truth, you know love is all we need

We are the world

We are the children

We are the ones who make a brighter day

So let’s start giving

There’s a choice we’re making

We’re saving our own lives

It’s true we’ll make a better day

Just you and me

Send them your heart

So they’ll know that someone cares

So their cries for help

Will not be in vain

We can’t let them suffer

No we cannot turn away

Right now, they need a helping hand

We are the world

We are the children

We are the ones who make a brighter day

So let’s start giving

There’s a choice we’re making

We’re saving our own lives

It’s true we’ll make a better day

Just you and me

When you’re down and out

There seems no hope at all

But if you just believe

There’s no way we can fall

Well, let us realize

That a change can only come

When we, stand together as one

We are the world

We are the children

We are the ones who make a brighter day

So let’s start giving

There’s a choice we’re making

We’re saving our own lives

It’s true we’ll make a better day

Just you and me

(repeat)

We all need somebody that we can lean on

When you wake up look around and see that your dreams gone

When the earth quakes we’ll help you make it through the storm

When the floor breaks a magic carpet to stand on

We are the World united by love so strong

When the radio isn’t on you can hear the songs

A guided light on the dark road you’re walking on

A sign post to find the dreams you thought was gone

Someone to help you move the obstacles you stumbled on

Someone to help you rebuild after the rubble’s gone

We are the World connected by a common bond

Love- the whole planet sing it along

We are the world

We are the children

We are the ones who make a brighter day

So let’s start giving

There’s a choice we’re making

We’re saving our own lives

It’s true we make a better day

Just you and me

Listen to We Are The World(ly), as envisioned by Jean Flaherty: