Letter From Teacher To Rolling Stones Ends Up In London Exhibit
DETROIT (WWJ) - An exhibit in London featuring the Rolling Stones has a Michigan connection.
The song Some Girls debuted in 1978 and stereo typed just about every girl based either on ethnicity or race.
There were even hand written lyric sheets by Jagger and Keith Richards on display...and then -- around the corner from Jagger's 1963 Gibson Hummingbird was a letter written to Atlantic Records and Jagger from the Michigan Education Association dated 1979.
A letter encased in glass from Lois Fisher, a teacher with the MEA who wrote that the song was highly offensive.
Dave Crimm, with the MEA was shocked to learn they have a place in history with the Rolling Stones:
"The MEA leader who wrote the letter was a teacher who objected to those types of lyrics as it ran counter to the lessons she was trying to instill in young woman in her classroom. Lessons in empowerment and using their voices to speak out against such subjugation," said Crimm.
Crimm says it may be shocking to hear or see the letter now....but those were the feelings back in 1979:
"I hope they don't see MEA as prudish," said Crimm. "MEA then and now strongly supports Mick Jagger's First Amendment rights to sing and say anything he wants but our members here also have the right to speak out if they find his words offensive. Some forty years later it's a really cool thing that our letter, among all the other things in the exhibit, made it into such a prominent place."
But Crimm says to be a part of history: "We were honored that among all the memorabilia displayed at this Rolling Stones exhibit they had a letter from our union; Michigan Education Association on display. I'm really glad you found it and brought it to our attention."