aaron bannerman
Song: Invisible Backpack
Artist statement
I submitted this song for my Sociology of Education class’s Synthesis of Learning final assignment. I composed it with the idea of outlining many of the main themes we discussed throughout the course. I related these back to the Invisible Knapsack activity (Thompson, 2002) that we did during one of our first classes. I recorded/sequenced all the music from scratch and sang all the vocal parts. The musical style I chose to set my lyrics to uses elements of blues and funk, which are styles pioneered by Black musicians. Since Black students are one of the subjects in the lyrics, I decided that this would be an effective format to tell the story. This also reflects some of my lived experience, as I have extensively performed in these chosen styles throughout my career as a professional musician.
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The intro of the song reflects my experience of going to school as a person with a significant amount of privilege and how schools are not designed with everyone in mind. It poses the question of what it is like for students who do not have as much privilege and have teachers that might not have made the effort to consider, “How many kids had backpacks that never were unpacked?”.
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The verses detail communities that we covered during the course and the elements that contribute to their disadvantage, and/or affect the effectiveness of their education, as the system is designed. The four verses investigate the experiences of people who are 1) First Nations/Métis/Inuit, 2) Black, 3) Impoverished, and 4) 2SLGBTQIA+.
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The chorus repeats the subject line “unpack the invisible backpack” with varying lyrics responding in between, which mostly relate to the preceding verse.
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The outro focuses on my views and goals going forward on my teaching journey and states, “My journey teaching, will be outreaching”. I also included an adaptation of Rita Pierson’s quote “Every child needs a champion” (TED, 2013).
References TED (2013). Rita Pierson: Every Kid Needs a Champion. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFnMTHhKdkw Thomson, P. (2002). Schooling the rustbelt kids: Making the difference in changing times. Routledge
Invisible backpack
“Invisible Backpack”
By Aaron Bannerman
Intro:
Now that I can see, that schools were designed for kids like me.
My power flower full, and with valid cultural currency.
Unaffected by the hidden curriculum, my privilege is a fact.
But how many kids had backpacks that never were unpacked?
Chorus:
Unpack the invisible backpack.
Kids are the same off the rack.
Unpack the invisible backpack.
Not just stories from a paperback.
Verse 1:
The traumatic legacy residential schools left,
A systematic scheme of cultural theft.
The scooped them up, they cut their hair, and said pray.
But it never really was how it looked on picture day.
Chorus:
Unpack the invisible backpack.
Thousands of kids never made it back.
Unpack the invisible backpack.
Just wanted home, like Chanie Wenjack.
Verse 2:
For society to be socially just,
Systematic racisms’ end is a must.
Black students suffer from a low expectation,
But relevance must be in out education.
Chorus:
Unpack the invisible backpack.
Not just for kids on the inside track.
Unpack the invisible backpack.
Or just people from the Union Jack.
Verse 3:
Lacking a livable wage is a trap.
It only widens rich and poor’s gap.
Without secure and healthy food.
Poverty’s cycle will just be renewed.
Chorus:
Unpack the invisible backpack.
Kids shouldn’t stress on their chip stack.
Unpack the invisible backpack.
So let’s not guess, like in blackjack.
Verse 4:
Whatever your identity of orientation,
We need safe and positive space implementation.
Any contradiction to this is just sus.
Embrace 2SLGBTQIA+
Chorus:
Unpack the invisible backpack.
Inclusivity is our plan of attack.
Unpack the invisible backpack.
We all live by our own soundtrack.
Outro:
The status quo, has got to go.
Don’t blame the victim, of just evict them.
My journey teaching, will be outreaching.
Champion for children, role I’ll be fillin’