Since the advent of music humans have used songs to communicate important life lessons and instructions. In 1973, the first episode of “Schoolhouse Rock,” aired creating a series that is used in schools to this day. You’d think that music and education would be so intrinsically tied at this point that no one would even question it.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for educator Domonique Brown, who claims she was fired from her job as a U.S. history teacher at Taylor Preparatory High School in Taylor, Michigan. She was allegedly terminated after the school received a complaint about her rapping under the name Drippin Honey.
The Complaint
Taylor Preparatory received a call in October from an anonymous parent about their concerns over her rapping career. After months of meetings, Brown was eventually terminated from her position. It seems that the parent found her YouTube channel, where she posted videos of her singing. At the time the complaint was received she had roughly 3,500 subscribers.
After she was fired Brown responded in the most logical way possible, music. She posted a video of her song “Drippin 101,” where she dances alongside some of her former students.
“Recently, I was forced to leave my position due to me being a Rapper,” the video’s description reads. “A single parent’s disapproval led to my dismissal. The parent wished to stay Anonymous after contacting my job for months, I’ve been dealing with this since I dropped “Drippin 101” in October.”
“What troubles me most about this situation is the lack of consideration for the impact and influence I have had on my students’ lives,” Brown adds. “My outside life should not be grounds for termination when it does not interfere with my ability to fulfill my responsibilities as a teacher. My dedication, professionalism, and passion for education have always been unwavering, regardless of any personal pursuits I may have.It is worth noting that when I was hired as a teacher, my involvement in the music industry as a rapper did not hinder my candidacy. I was judged based on my qualifications, experience, and potential to positively impact the lives of my students. Yet, now, my commitment and contributions seem to be overshadowed by arbitrary judgments about my personal life. I been teaching for 7 years !!!”
Where Do We Go From Here?
“The first meeting was with my dean and my principal and they were just telling me, ‘Hey, a parent said that they’ve seen your social media, and that you’re a bad influence because you’re a rapper,’” Brown told FOX 2. Since her firing, Brown has collected over 200 signatures from students and parents who support her.
Allegedly the parent continued to complain but when Brown asked for the complaint in writing, she never received it. She believes this may be due to discrimination. “Music is part of the culture,” she explained “We’re from Motown, this is what we do. So it’s not like it’s unheard of, it’s the culture. When you look like me, you just understand it a little bit … better.”
Brown is currently seeking an attorney to take action against Taylor Preparatory. The school has remained tight-lipped on the matter and only confirmed that they were aware of Brown’s allegations.
You can check out “Drippin 101” below:
