‘Inspires hatred’: Ramsgate Public School under investigation for playing violent Captain Cook song

A public primary school in Sydney’s south is under fire for playing an Indigenous hip-hop track with references to hunting down ‘white devil’ Captain Cook over the school intercom.

A Sydney school is in the headlines for playing a song by rapper Birdz, right, which describes Captain Cook, left, as a 'white devil'. Pictures: News Corp/Supplied

Parents of a south Sydney public school have been left red-faced and fuming after a song they say was “not age-appropriate” was broadcast to their children without their knowledge.

Ramsgate Public School has come under fire after playing a divisive and violent song describing Captain Cook as a “murderer” and “white devil” over their loudspeakers for at least a fortnight, in honour of Reconciliation Week.

The 2020 hip-hop track ‘Bagi-la-m Bargan’ by Indigenous rapper Birdz is written from the perspective of a K’gari/Fraser Island Aboriginal “warrior” watching “self-righteous” Cook “from the land of the white skin” sail past, with the character hunting the explorer down with the “desire to kill” and make “his cold, white heart … bleed”.

Hours after a “shocked” father complained to Sydney radio station 2GB that the song “inspires hatred”, it was swiftly struck from the school’s playlist, with the Department of Education rushing to confirm school leaders had been “counselled about making appropriate choices” for the snippets of pop music played before the morning bell.

“We apologise for the distress caused to any parents or children over the choice of school bell song at Ramsgate Public School last week,” a spokeswoman for the Department said.

Birdz performs at the 2022 National Indigenous Music Awards. Picture: Amanda Parkinson

“Principals and staff across the State will be reminded of their professional obligations in … resource selection. This includes any songs chosen to use as a school bell.”

On Tuesday afternoon families picking up their children from the school were deeply divided on the suitability of the song – while several mums described the track as a “bad choice” that could upset young kids, other parents staunchly defended the principal’s selection.

Ramsgate Public School in Sydney’s south. Picture: Supplied

One mum, whose son is in Kindergarten at the school but did not wish to be named, said the song was “not age appropriate at all”.

“I shouldn’t have been played,” she said.

“I understand the perspective of the song writer, but the term “white devil” … could absolutely be perceived as a racist slur and potentially could promote racism between students. It is not an appropriate song to be played in a school setting to primary-aged students at all.

“This is just another example of the head honchos at Ramsgate trying to keep up with the times … and unfortunately failing miserably.”

Another young mum, who wanted to remain anonymous, had been blindsided by the situation, and was as concerned about the impact the public debate would have on students as the song itself.

“I definitely wasn’t the best choice, but it’s been blown out of proportion,” she said.

“I didn’t even realise they were playing music, but they should be playing something else.”

Multiple parents fretted that the school would gain a bad reputation – “this is a really great school”, one mum said – while grandfather Ricky Herrera applauded the choice of song as educational.

“Honestly it’s about time the truth came out about what was done to the Indigenous people in this country,” he said.

“I want to educate my kids to know they we’re in this blessed land because it was stolen – simple as that.”

Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car told 2GB’s Ben Fordham she found the lyrics “very concerning” and said “schools are not places for … anything that creates any sort of division”, referring the matter to the Department to investigate.

Opposition leader Mark Speakman said the “exposing young children to inflammatory hip-hop” is not in the spirit of Reconciliation Week, and called on the Minister to personally apologise.

“Given the Education Minister admits that this was inappropriate, she should apologise to the school community and tell us what she is going to do to ensure that NSW schools are places where kids go for education, not indoctrination,” he said.

Premier Chris Minns also responded to the incident on Tuesday morning, suggesting the government might reconsider allowing schools to play songs in place of traditional bells.

“Rap songs in general probably (are) not the best fit for New South Wales schools,” he said.

Students at Bonnyrigg Heights Primary School dance to the song 'Happy' by Pharrell Williams before the school bell goes. Picture: AAP Image/Melvyn Knipe

“We just had a traditional bell. So maybe we go back to bells.

“I think these things are all about context. They’re all about age appropriate access to media in particular.”

Musical bells have become commonplace in NSW public schools over recent years, with some schools allowing students to choose a song to be played in the lead-up to the class bell ringing.

Usually, however, these are upbeat pop songs such as Pharrell Williams’ Happy.

Ramsgate Public School has been embroiled in controversy under principal Lorraine Simmiss-Taylor’s leadership in the past; in 2019 the Education Department ordered the school to remove two letters to the Prime Minister, written by students and published in the school newsletter.

The letters urged then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison to act on climate change or risk “everything in the world (going) extinct”, breaching the department’s Controversial Issues in Schools policy.