They say school’s no place for pop stars, but one class at Bullitt East is shaking that off.
A new elective class at Bullitt East High School focuses entirely on Taylor Swift, sparking controversy and raising questions about whether pop culture belongs in the classroom.
Folk Fiction/Taylor Swift class, taught by English teacher Ms. Lloyd, explores Taylor Swift’s music, lyrics, and cultural impact. While fans of Swift are excited to enroll, other students have expressed skepticism, leading to a mix of opinions about the course’s value.
Many colleges and high schools are beginning to introduce more interesting and unique courses in an attempt to boost student engagement. By connecting a globally popular artist or public figure to skills that align with state/national English standards, educators hope students will see how literature and writing relate to the culture they already know, making traditional skills feel more relevant.
As of now, even Harvard University offers a course on Taylor Swift called “English 183ts: Taylor Swift and Her World,” taught by Professor Stephanie Burt. The course applies a literary lens to her music and career, exploring her songwriting, fan culture, and cultural influence.
Bullitt East has now joined that movement with its own elective, using Taylor Swift’s music and career as a framework to study literature and culture. In the classroom, students analyze themes, rhetorical devices, and storytelling in Swift’s songs, applying the same skills they would in a traditional English course.
Although the class is centered on Taylor Swift, students say they’ve also studied Greek mythology and other literary themes, with Swift’s music still to come later in the semester.
The vibe of the class, according to students, is laid back and social. Swiftie culture has even made its way into the classroom with activities such as bracelet making.
Despite how enjoyable the class may be or the skills students can gain from studying Swift’s music, not everyone is convinced that a pop star belongs in the English classroom, which is a major reason why the new class has drawn mixed reactions. Some students question whether analyzing song lyrics can replace traditional literature, while others feel the class is a great way to make English interesting.
One student going into the class next semester was put in the class, but did not sign up for it. When asked how they feel about being enrolled in the class, anonymous said, “I felt upset and sad because I signed up for a lot of different half-year electives.”
Anonymous thinks it’s cool that BE now offers a unique class like this, but wishes it were any other artist or band. They do not like Taylor Swift and would rather study someone they are interested in, not just Taylor Swift, the mainstream favorite.
Another student said they would recommend the class, but “only if you can tolerate talking about Taylor Swift every single day.”
Still, others see the class as a meaningful opportunity. Hayden Watson, a senior who is not enrolled in the class, believes the class is a way to get students engaged in English. “Yes, I think it could get more people interested in poetry and creative writing and help people better understand how to analyze creative writing,” said Watson.
As a swiftie, Watson added that the course feels especially meaningful: “I think the class is appealing and it’s nice that it’s an elective class over something that many students and the teacher have a passion for.”
“I joined because I had nothing better to do, and I feel great about having this class cause the people are awesome,” said Brayden Lehring, a senior. “This class isn’t for everyone. Some people are in it just for an easy grade, like myself. The special thing about it is we’re going to be analyzing music and having fun.”
Although there are mixed reviews, for now, students in the Folk Fiction/Taylor Swift class at Bullitt East will be analyzing Taylor Swift lyrics as literature. Whether that makes pop culture the future of education — or just a passing trend — is still up for debate.
