here's an article in the Chronicle about President Obama addressing school children about the importance of education and working hard. the fallout is, of course, polarizing. there is clear precedent for presidents to do such things, such as when President Bush sent out a nationally televised message to kids about drugs. holy moly, when I was in second grade we 'voted' in a mock election... I remember voting for Jimmy Carter. that was back when I heard that the Republican party was for business and rich people and Democrats were for the working man. thanks, mom and dad, for not making a big hubub at my school about that stuff, and for not imagining that it would somehow permanently define me.
Quoting the article, "One parent told her the president's speech “obligates the youngest children in our public school system to agree with Obama's initiatives or be ostracized by their teachers and classmates,” and does not allow for healthy debate."
what? it obligates them to agree with the initiative of getting a good education? you want them to debate the merits of education?? look, you may not like his stance on healthcare or the way our government is spending itself into oblivion, but to hear a pro-education message from a very intelligent, democratically elected, African American president is a good thing no matter how you slice it. I realize that it's a parent's job to protect their children and figuring out what to filter out for them must be daunting... I guess most movies and television shows don't make the grade, either... but be careful when bleeding your politics all over your kids, stop making them wear hate message t-shirts to school and proudly teaching them that that's acceptable, intelligent communication of one's beliefs (photo above), and if you're so concerned about a healthy debate try starting one at home. teach your kids to be critical thinkers who can hear opposing views and respond thoughtfully without showing up at a rally with their gun and running to pundits for talking points. making a quiet choice for your child is one thing, but please don't vociferously bully your local school because of your politics... it's not cool, nor does it remotely model Christianity. this might be an opportunity to partner with your child and his/her class to actually have something positive happen (not the least of which is reiterating that we should be respectful of local educational administrators and the office of the president, no matter how disgusted we might be with current goings-on). but no. President Obama cannot address the children about the importance of showing up to school and working hard to become something, because then the kids will surely want a handout, cash for their clunker, and socialized health care. or worse... they may think the guy on tv is just a nice man or something.
I feel this quote from the article: “I wish our elected leaders were responsible enough to denounce this kind of wild-eyed paranoia,” Miller said. “But the problem is too many of them are actually feeding this kind of nonsense — like when the governor flirts with secessionists and State Board of Education members say the president sympathizes with terrorists.”
I didn't even vote for him. I hate that we're in Afghanistan, am completely horrified at our current fiscal policy, and shudder to think what our tax situation will be in ten years (I hold the last few administrations at fault for a lot of this mess, too, though, through their own action, inaction, and choices based on reasons other than the good of the American people they serve). but the furor and attacks, the fear-mongering and spin-the-soundbyte half-truths, the planned and planted shoutings-down in the recent town hall meetings, bad and shallow stadium journalism on both sides... it's all pushing me further and further toward seeking out alternative media and regarding everyone with a critical eye and deep suspicion.
*edit*
Governor Perry weighs in:
"I think it's disturbing when you get this message, that you will have your kids, in a forum where the president of the United States is, obviously he's got a message there. Nobody seems to know what he's going to be talking about ... why didn't he spend more time talking to the local districts, superintendents?"
pretty sure the 'message there' is about EDUCATION, Governor. that seems to be 'what he's going to be talking about'... I knew that, not sure how you and others are so seemingly in the dark and distressed about it all. and maybe he didn't spend more time talking to the local districts and superintendents because he's the President of the United States and is doing things on his own timetable.
ugh. will the politicking never end? let the dude talk about education. if the teachers request it, let the kids write a paper about how they will try to be better citizens and 'help President Obama' (which is the obvious intent, not a Marxist agenda of creating Obama followers. please. is your youth minister creating mindless followers by saying, 'okay kids, write down some ways that you could help me/the church/your parents?... or a YMCA coach saying 'I want you guys to think about ways you can help make this season the best ever.'). the far right is losing a lot of us in the middle.
11 comments:
sure, great ideas. But they fail to address my needs, such as hearing the sound of my own voice and telling you what to think all day long. What about that?
sorry, I deleted my comment because it sounded tacky. :) there's enough vitriol without me adding any more fuel to the fire. vitriol is one of my favorite words lately, btw.
I can't help but think that the people against the president speaking to kids in schools are the same ones that really want those kids to say the pledge of allegiance every day. "Dedicate yourselves kids to this country but avoid listening to a speak from the leader."
connor!!!! nice to *see* you, sir!
Good to see I've lost my English writing ability.
Sing it!
A good education should cross all lines of politics. Being motivated to have a healthy work ethic should not be considered radically liberal.
I worry. Oh, I worry.
L, I don't know whether to hijack your comment box here or make my own blog post, but YES YES YES! I am very upset about this.
I *do* think teachers have the choice of whether to show it or not because maybe they already have something else planned that day. That's fine. That's how presidential speeches have always been treated in classrooms.
But to refuse to hear him simply because he's from the other party?? I think it's interesting the Republicans have been throwing around all these accusations about Fascism and such. I think the message they are sending their children by taking them out of school is much more of a threat to democracy...Obama was elected in a democratic manner. He got the majority of the votes. He is our PRESIDENT. If you refuse to acknowledge that, then you are striking at the heart of our political system. How can you teach your children to be part of the democratic process if they refuse to even listen to what he says?
Basically they are disagreeing with what he is doing because he is a Democrat, not because they have listened to what he said and have a different viewpoint. Which leaves his opponents on the opposite side of "personal responsibility, working hard, and staying in school." Not a place I would want to be.
The poly-sci rhetoric flying around is pretty lazy as well, "social" meaning "Socialism" equating with Nazi "National Socialism," which more closely resembled fascism than socialism, therefore "social" = "fascism." By that logic, life in North Korea's "Democratic People's Republic of Korea" is probably exactly the same as the democratic representative republic of the United States, right?
Thanks to you, married yoshimi, and others for your passionate, concerned, lucid words. You are lifting up the Lamp that is a guide.
It seems to me that whomever is not in power or majority is going to "bark" louder. I'm fairly conservative in most of my endeavors and thoughts. However, to put school children in the middle of adult political disputes is not only unfair, but unhelpful and confusing to them. This in turn can weigh kids down with biased and unnecessary thought patterns.
Presidents have been speaking to school children for years. It is stupid to be up in arms about this. You don't agree with his policies? You don't like him in general? Great. That's your right. Do something in 3 1/2 years and exercise your right to make change. DON'T use your kids as pawns in your political rants.
President Obama is not the savior of anyone or anything. He is the President, and as such deserves respect. No one was afraid that Bill Clinton was going to speak to school kids and tell them that it was okay to sleep around.
I was raised in a conservative home. But my parents, like the author's, talked to me, and let me make my own decisions. I knew their views and was free to express mine. Politics were not used as a bludgeon into belief. I'm thankful for that.
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