Dance Coach Fired, Band Silenced Over 'Blurred Lines'

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Robin Thicke's chart-topping song "Blurred Lines" may have been a hit over the summer, but it didn't fare as well with Marshfield, Wis., school district administrators. According to the Associated Press, Lisa Jolin, the head coach of the Marshfield High School dance team has been fired after her team performed to the popular song.

10-2 Robin Thicke.png10-2 Robin Thicke.pngCritics say the song glorifies rape culture. In the chorus, Thicke (pictured) sings, "And that's why I'm gon' take a good girl. I know you want it. I know you want it. I know you want it." The song's music video features scantily clad women dancing with musicians Thicke, Pharrell Williams and T.I. who are all fully dressed. "Blurred Lines" was named "Song of the Summer," by Billboard magazine.

Marshfield superintendent Peg Geegan said she couldn't comment on personnel issues, but did say Jolin was removed for "appropriate reasons and following district protocols."

More from the AP:

Parents and students say they are concerned that the dance team might disband without Jolin. They say she brought a measure of respectability to an activity that students had looked down on, and two of the seven team members have already quit.

Jolin says she doesn't know how many people had called Geegan to complain about the song choice, but she heard no complaints immediately after the performance.

Meanwhile, a handful of college marching bands have covered the song without incident. A rendition by the Auburn University band was even featured on ABC's "Good Morning America" last month.

But the Ohio University band, which planned on performing an arrangement provided by Auburn at its Sept. 21 football game in Athens, punted under pressure from university administrators.

Richard Suk, the Ohio band's director for 17 years, was surprised by the backlash, given the fact his past playlist has included selections alluding to abortion (Ben Fold Five's "Brick") and drugs (Snoop Dogg's "Gin and Juice").

"My only concern," Suk told The Columbus Dispatch, "is where to do we draw the line in the future?"

Blurred lines, indeed.

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