Principal goes viral with COVID-19 parody of 'Can't Touch This'
An Alabama high school principal has put a funny spin on the very serious measures his school is taking this fall to protect students and staff against COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
Dr. Quentin Lee, principal of Childersburg High School in Childersburg, Alabama, did a COVID-19 parody of "Can't Touch This," the hit song by M.C. Hammer.
The song's lyrics, as remade by Lee, include, "COVID! Is stressing me, all the updates from the CDC. Lysol! Can’t be found, I’ve looked all around this town.”
Lee, who is entering his fourth year as principal of the public high school, said he normally does a funny video to welcome kids back to school and this year he was able to quickly develop an idea.
"The M.C. Hammer song just came to my mind and you can’t listen to that song without being happy," Lee told "Good Morning America." "I ran the idea by several of my friends and they said I had to do it, that it was too funny, so I started writing down the lyrics."
Lee said he worked with this school's cheerleading coach and a few students who, while following safety guidelines, starred alongside him in a music video for the song.
Students at Childersburg High School will begin their school year later this month having chosen to attend either virtual or in-person classes, which will operate at 50% capacity and have students rotate the days they are on campus, according to Lee.
He said he hopes his now-viral "Can't Touch This" video makes students laugh and get excited about returning to school, while also realizing there will be new policies and safety practices in place when they return.
"We definitely want to adhere to all the guidelines put forth by the CDC and the policies within our own school district, but by putting a fun spin on it I think that the kids will buy into it a little bit more," said Lee. "And on top of that, it’s just to let them know that, look, we’re going to make the best of the situation. It’s not what we desire but in order to keep you guys safe this is what we have to do."
He added, "Of course when we get back on campus we’re not going to be walking around the halls yelling, ‘you can’t touch this,’ but they kind of already know the expectations when they get on campus to ensure their safety."
