Mom: Girl, 8, given inappropriate music at camp
PORTLAND, Ore. - A mother who sent her 8-year-old daughter to a Portland rock music-themed camp for girls says she is shocked by what she thinks is age-inappropriate material distributed to the young attendees.
The mother, who did not want to be identified, said her daughter returned home with music that contained graphic violent imagery and lyrics that were both sexually charged and racist.
The woman said the items were part of a welcome packet for girls attending the camp and that she checked them out before her daughter could listen to the music.
She said she's worried that other camp attendees might be exposed to the materials and music if their parents don't get to it first.
One CD featured packaging that depicted a murder scene with a dead body and a killing in progress.
Also among the items was a tape by the band Bikini Kill that the concerned mom said had sexual content so explicit she was too embarrassed to repeat it. She said the music also had racially offensive content.
She said that if her daughter had heard the music and asked her what some of the words meant, it would have been "very difficult to explain to her."
While officials with Rock and Roll Camp for Girls declined to be interviewed by KATU News, they did say they were going to look into the issue. On their Web site, the non-profit organization says the camp is designed to "build girls self-esteem through music creation and performance."
The organization says it is for girls ages 8 to 18 years old.
The girl's mother said she can't understand how the materials could have been given to an 8-year-old without some sort of screening by camp operators.
"I trusted these adults to give her appropriate material," she said.
The next session of the camp begins on Monday.
The mother, who did not want to be identified, said her daughter returned home with music that contained graphic violent imagery and lyrics that were both sexually charged and racist.
The woman said the items were part of a welcome packet for girls attending the camp and that she checked them out before her daughter could listen to the music.
She said she's worried that other camp attendees might be exposed to the materials and music if their parents don't get to it first.
One CD featured packaging that depicted a murder scene with a dead body and a killing in progress.
Also among the items was a tape by the band Bikini Kill that the concerned mom said had sexual content so explicit she was too embarrassed to repeat it. She said the music also had racially offensive content.
She said that if her daughter had heard the music and asked her what some of the words meant, it would have been "very difficult to explain to her."
While officials with Rock and Roll Camp for Girls declined to be interviewed by KATU News, they did say they were going to look into the issue. On their Web site, the non-profit organization says the camp is designed to "build girls self-esteem through music creation and performance."
The organization says it is for girls ages 8 to 18 years old.
The girl's mother said she can't understand how the materials could have been given to an 8-year-old without some sort of screening by camp operators.
"I trusted these adults to give her appropriate material," she said.
The next session of the camp begins on Monday.