The President's Address to Schools
President Obama is going to give a speech to grade K-12 on September 8th. The White House has issued "to-do" lists to teachers and principles in order to prepare.
On the radio this morning, Mark Davis was asking the question of whether or not students should attend class that day. The answer to that is easy.
Yes, Mark Davis, they should.
The only reason my kid is coming out of school is for a planned family vacation (rare) or illness. Anything else just sends a message to the kid that if you don't like what your teacher is saying, you can just leave the room.
Nope, sorry sweetie, you can't.
Do I think it's like Apple giving free computers to elementary schools? Yes, a bit, I think it is like that. I think he's targeting every home in America and what better way to get there than by a captive audience of grade school kids who will rush home and say that they saw the President today?
If he stays on neutral ground. If he encourages education, and learning, and hard work as it is billed he will do, than there's nothing wrong with this. Just because he's not my hero, doesn't mean he can't be my childs.
As long as he doesn't start talking policy. Then I have issues. My child can't vote. So advising my child (the one I don't have - I know) that health care for all is the way to go is inappropriate and kind of underhanded. Especially at the early grade levels. What is the point there except to exert grocery store pressure on parents? You know, grocery story pressure, mommy I want cocoa puffs! I want twinkies! I want cookies! I saw them all on tv!
But if he's not going to do that ... then eh. I'll want an outline of what was discussed so I can see what topics need to be raised with my kid, but other than that.
I do think it's egomaniacal and that if President Bush had done it people would be crying "indoctrination." I think kids will look at it as a free period and teachers will look at it as a work session where they can get some grading done. Just like when they put movies on. The guy really does think the world of himself though ... doesn't he? The choosen one descending from on high to tell our kids what's important. Because he can do it better than the parents. And I don't understand why this sort of thing is okay ... but the Pledge of Allegiance is out. And I don't like how some of the topics that the White House (education department) are asking students to "think about" for their future involves no mention of religion or God. Not that it would be appropriate if they did ... but the fact is that my kid will be raised in the church. And their future should include involvement in their church and not just within their government.
But my kid would be in school.
In 8th grade my school stopped teaching for like an hour to put the OJ Simpson trial on. NOT kidding. Listening to the President would have to be better than that.
UPDATED ...
But if it's anything like this ...
The teachers would hear from me. No person is the servant of a President. Not any President. The President is a servant of the people. And not once in there did I hear one person pledge to provide for the common defense, which is one of the main vows that the President makes when he takes office. Not one person "pledged" to welcome home a military veteran.
And all those ridiculous people ... Puff Daddy "pledging to turn off the lights" for the enviornment. If he didn't have endless amounts of money he'd be turning off lights to save his energy costs. But because he's a super star with millions, oh it's all about the world.
That video, is indoctrination. And the school in Utah that showed it to their students should be ashamed.
Can you imagine the outrage if President Bush had a similar video about supporting his policies? The war in Iraq? The war on terror in general? Can you imagine what people would have said?
On the radio this morning, Mark Davis was asking the question of whether or not students should attend class that day. The answer to that is easy.
Yes, Mark Davis, they should.
The only reason my kid is coming out of school is for a planned family vacation (rare) or illness. Anything else just sends a message to the kid that if you don't like what your teacher is saying, you can just leave the room.
Nope, sorry sweetie, you can't.
Do I think it's like Apple giving free computers to elementary schools? Yes, a bit, I think it is like that. I think he's targeting every home in America and what better way to get there than by a captive audience of grade school kids who will rush home and say that they saw the President today?
If he stays on neutral ground. If he encourages education, and learning, and hard work as it is billed he will do, than there's nothing wrong with this. Just because he's not my hero, doesn't mean he can't be my childs.
As long as he doesn't start talking policy. Then I have issues. My child can't vote. So advising my child (the one I don't have - I know) that health care for all is the way to go is inappropriate and kind of underhanded. Especially at the early grade levels. What is the point there except to exert grocery store pressure on parents? You know, grocery story pressure, mommy I want cocoa puffs! I want twinkies! I want cookies! I saw them all on tv!
But if he's not going to do that ... then eh. I'll want an outline of what was discussed so I can see what topics need to be raised with my kid, but other than that.
I do think it's egomaniacal and that if President Bush had done it people would be crying "indoctrination." I think kids will look at it as a free period and teachers will look at it as a work session where they can get some grading done. Just like when they put movies on. The guy really does think the world of himself though ... doesn't he? The choosen one descending from on high to tell our kids what's important. Because he can do it better than the parents. And I don't understand why this sort of thing is okay ... but the Pledge of Allegiance is out. And I don't like how some of the topics that the White House (education department) are asking students to "think about" for their future involves no mention of religion or God. Not that it would be appropriate if they did ... but the fact is that my kid will be raised in the church. And their future should include involvement in their church and not just within their government.
But my kid would be in school.
In 8th grade my school stopped teaching for like an hour to put the OJ Simpson trial on. NOT kidding. Listening to the President would have to be better than that.
UPDATED ...
But if it's anything like this ...
The teachers would hear from me. No person is the servant of a President. Not any President. The President is a servant of the people. And not once in there did I hear one person pledge to provide for the common defense, which is one of the main vows that the President makes when he takes office. Not one person "pledged" to welcome home a military veteran.
And all those ridiculous people ... Puff Daddy "pledging to turn off the lights" for the enviornment. If he didn't have endless amounts of money he'd be turning off lights to save his energy costs. But because he's a super star with millions, oh it's all about the world.
That video, is indoctrination. And the school in Utah that showed it to their students should be ashamed.
Can you imagine the outrage if President Bush had a similar video about supporting his policies? The war in Iraq? The war on terror in general? Can you imagine what people would have said?
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