Obama will speak to YOUR Kids... Did you know?

[elliscountyhog]

Our School is not going to air this! And i am Glad cause now my child will not have to miss a day of school because of it

[aladatrot]

Julie,

We all have differing opinions - if we didn't or if opinions were one sided, this wouldn't be any different than Nazi Germany or Red China. We are all friends here whether we have differences of opinion or not. I believe our country is great for the simple reason that you and I can disagree and nobody gets beheaded.

I am hopeful that our president doesn't have a political agenda for his speech to the kids. That said, there ALWAYS seem to be political undertones to any presidential speech that I can remember. If not in this speech, in a subsequent one for sure. If this address were to be well received, it's not a far stretch to see it made into a monthly or weekly occurrence. Once the proverbial foot is in the door (no matter who you are), you can start to slip other things into your message <see the "I Pledge" video shown to Utah elementary kids>. I would feel the same if it were a republican president who wanted to address the children directly. In my own personal opinion, the president should not be addressing school children. Does our lazy society need a swift kick in the tailfeathers? You bet. However, I don't think presidential addresses to children is the way to motivate.

Cheers!
M

[catchrcall]

Talk to my kid?  The hell he will.  My rugrat won't be there.  The president has no business in a classroom.  what's next, Obama Youth?  I don't let my kid hang out with people I don't trust, and I don't let him watch garbage on TV, and this deal fits the bill on both. 

[WAARHEID]

Julie,

Don't bow-out. You may be a left leaning rabbit-food lovin’ photog, but you've got your head screwed on straight for the most part I actually agree with you on this one. The President makes a short, challenging and motivational address to the kids, fine by me. But I share the concern of the poster that talked about it being a 'foot-in-the-door' for a monthly address. That would take it into a realm that calls into question what the head of the exeuctive branch should be doing with his time.

You really want to shake things up Julie? Let's talk about the unconstitutionality of a federal department of education.  

[Eric]

For alot of people it has nothing to do with Obama really. Any time they bring some thing out of the norm into the school... parents expect a letter from the school. The parents may want to talk about it with their children before and after... or just not let them see it. That is the parents decision. They can't do that if they do not know its happening.

In most cases this would air to the public the night or day of... then they would bring it back in thru Channel One or some thing so that parents get to preview it before their kids see it.

[machine73]

The original lesson plan from the Depertment of Education involved having the students write an essay on how they can help President Obama. THAT is political Matt and Julie. Due to the outrage of concerned parents across the country, the lesson plan is being changed. Public schools, who are funded by OUR tax money, have no business exposing our to children to political propoganda from ANY President. Part of my outrage was my kids' school planning on airing this address without informing us. That is hogwash. The role of parents in choosing a future for our children is being eroded and I will not stand for it. Ever. Politics, ethics, morality, religion, etc. should remain the sole responsibility of the parents to teach. That is worth fighting for to me.

Sean

[machine73]

I guess I see this simply as a way to reach out and engage kids. Not just to encourage them about the importance of a good education, which many kids sorely need to be reminded of, but to encourage civic engagement. I know there are several people on this board that are very involved with legislation and their communities, but overall our country is the definition of apathy. We can't continue to sit by and let our citizens disengage, it is dangerous no matter what your political beliefs are. And unless we start showing children how important voting and our government is now, we'll just have another apathetic generation. The only developed nation with a lower voter turnout than the U.S. is Switzerland. Even the Italians, who are a mess at organization and have lost my luggage every time I've visited, have a 90% turnout at the polls. I find it impossible to imagine that the usually lazy Italians care more about their rights than we do, but maybe they are teaching their kids something different in school

You can't expect involvement when the citizens have NO viable choices set before them. Picking the lesser of two evils only propogates further evils. That's just how I see it.

[WAARHEID]

The original lesson plan from the Depertment of Education involved having the students write an essay on how they can help President Obama. THAT is political Matt and Julie. Due to the outrage of concerned parents across the country, the lesson plan is being changed.

Well, Sean, there were lots of posts before yours, and no one had posted that part of the story. That is a completely different story. A presidential address to school children followed by a "how do we help the president?" lesson plan in the classroom is blantantly political, partisan, and deeply disturbing. Under those circumstances, I would pull my kid out of school that day too.

[cward]

Well I am going to check with my kids school and if he is going to speak then that day me and my kids will site guns in or go catch a hog!!I have no use for the man and will protect my kids from his so called goals that he thinks is right!! 

[BobbyB]

Funny thing, I started this same thread on the Pointing Dog Journal BB today, and there is a young guy there that completely echos Julie's argument, til he got enough and ducked out.

A speech would be bad enough. But there are a lot of left wing teachers that are going to carry the ball further. with no parents there to intercede. My kids are grown, but if I had pre-K thru 6th graders, I  would want to make the decision on what they see and hear the prez say and what the teachers have to say about it. I dont need a left wing teacher pushing their BS ideas into my family.

[machine73]

Matt, what bothers me gravely is that the department of education was complicit in this. The State (as in the Federal Govt and its departments) encroaches further into the lives of private citizens with every passing year. Here they are making a concerted push to get a foothold in our school systems. Both major political parties in this country push a stronger nationalist agenda each time there is a transfer of power. Sickening. They are nothing but tares in the wheatfeilds of American society.

I do not see why an address to the youth of the nation cannot be aired in the evening so that we can watch it as a family. The only explanation for wanting to pipe the address directly into classrooms and out of the eye of parents has to be a nefarious one.

Sean

[Eric]

That is what raised alot of questions. As a whole the teachers groups tend to support Obama. There for when this speach, the "How can I support my Pres" discussions in schools, the neglect of schools to tell parents, and the placing it right after a holiday all came about it threw up ALOT of red flags.

It gave the appearance Obama was trying to pull one over on the parents.


The point is... no matter who it is... parents need to be involved and know who and how things are presented and taught to their children. That is why we have ratings on movies, filters on the e-net, and alot of other things. For parents, we know how hard it is to keep control of what our children are exposed to as it is so when the govt tries to go behind our backs... it really hits a sore spot. That may be a little difficult for non-parents to understand.

[machine73]

Furthermore, it is absolutely against TX law to introduce any curriculum in to the classroom that has not been approved by the TX State Board of Education. No sir, this whole thing reeks of political chicanery!

sean

[catchrcall]

I agree, that if he wants to address the school age kids, he can do it on national tv, in front of everybody, with me in the same room as my kid so that I can throw the BS flag if need be.  The whole "how can I help the president" deal is the reason why I made the comparison to "Obama Youth".  It's not that bad, of course, yet, but no need for that door to even be opened.  Ever.   If it was a "how can I help my country" essay, I would be less against it.  I support the saying of the Pledge of Allegience in schools, the rendering of courtesy to our flag, and patriotism in general.  I do not support oaths, essays, or anything that directs patriotism to one individual.
Chicanery is a good choice of words.

[slimpickins]

As of this morning, 3 school districts here close to me will not be showing it, and the largest has hinted the same. 

[slimpickins]

The following is a district wide email here at Shallowater I.S.D. that I received this morning.....

The speech will not be aired by grades Pk-8. HS will determine a method that allows those that want to watch access to President O’Bama’s speech.

I love it, although I do not feel it should be anywhere in school, at least the high school students have the choice.
With enrollement at the high school at about 340 students, I'll be curious as to how many choose to watch it.....I'm guessing only a couple.

[hogdogger1]

Ill tell yall what i will defently not show up 2 school on tuesday everything that I have heard come out of BO"s mouth is a damn lie and thats it

[djhogdogger]

Politicians should only be allowed to address registered voters...period. Leave the child rearing to parents. I'm glad that my son is 18 yrs. now. Last year his school had a congressman come to the school and give an "educational encouragment" speech and I happened to be at shool that day... it was all propaganda b.s. hidden under a few encouraging statements. Politicians are highly trained to pursuade people into believing them. Chidren cannot filter out the b.s. yet. jmo

[dabutcher]

this is definitely a step in the wrong direction.  this just further proves the ever encroaching governments hand on our civil liberties.  i'm glad my children are not of school age YET.  but they'll definitely be attending private school, where god is still allowed and the government doesn't have as much influence (tax money).

i don't care if it's a republican or a democrat, no politician has a right to speak directly to my children, especially at school where their time is supposed to be focused on education not propoganda.  never in my life have i been more afraid of the future that lies ahead for my children and grandchildren.