El Rancho Charter School

“Rebecca Black, ‘Friday’ Singer, Leaves Anaheim School Due To Bullying.” CBS Los Angeles (CA), 8/11/2011

ANAHEIM (CBS) — Rebecca Black says endless teasing and harassment from classmates forced her to pull out of El Rancho Charter School in Anaheim.

The 14-year-old, whose much-buzzed video for her song “Friday” became a YouTube phenomenon, is now being homeschooled by her mother.

“When I walk by they’ll start singing ‘Friday’ in a really nasally voice,” Black tells ABC News. “Or, you know, they’ll be like, ‘Oh hey, Rebecca, guess what day it is?”

After the video’s release in March, it hit 167 million views, which is roughly half of the population of the United States, ABC News points out.

But it was heavily ridiculed for the song’s lyrics (“Kickin’ in the front seat / Sittin’ in the back seat / Gotta make my mind up / Which seat can I take?”), and many critics questioned if it was the worst song ever.

Black, however, can count a few celebs as fans including Simon Cowell, who told her that he “loves her and the fact that she’s gotten so much publicity.”

“People are so upset about the song, but I think it’s hysterical,” he said.

Black, who recently stepped out at the Teen Choice Awards, was also invited to star in Katy Perry’s music video for “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.).” She even joined Perry onstage at her Los Angeles tour stop last week, where the two sang a duet to “Friday.”

“It’s hard because everyone wants to say, ‘Oh my God, I’m this big star now,’” Black said. “But I don’t see it that way. I’m still the same 14-year-old girl that loves to hang out with her friends.”