President Obama's Back-To-School Speech “Controversy”

[wantarace17]

I am waiting for SHF to chime in....

[techboy]

I hope our administration decides to show this speech in my school, which is majority African American and about 50% free and reduced lunch. There's too pervasive a culture here that if you succeed, or try to do well in school, you're not "black enough".

I'm sure that some students will consider Obama a sellout, but given the excitement in the student body after the election last November, I hope that this will have a positive impact.

I've even considered getting an Obama poster for my classroom.

[DCranon21]

I swear that Reagan and Bush did this when I was in grade school. The tin foil crew is getting weaker by the minute. :laugh:

Oh you should see what the freepers are saying right now :hysterical:

[mistertim]

I swear that Reagan and Bush did this when I was in grade school. The tin foil crew is getting weaker by the minute. :laugh:

Oh you should see what the freepers are saying right now :hysterical:

[MEANDWARF]

Well I hope the message is simply that, do well in school.

However, I hope there isn't a hidden agenda.

Since the outcry, I think the WH has back off to just alittle be good in school.

I glad WH has back off, the school system have enough to do without helping Obama spreading his socialist propaganda to the youth. Bad enough we adults have to deal with it.

Can you tell I'm in a bad mood today?

[MEANDWARF]

Republican loons.

Democratic airheads that think the orginal plan was no problem.

[mjah]

By 2012 these idiots will be insisting that the televised Presidential debates feature only Mitt Romney, for fear that including Obama would force the networks to air socialist propaganda.

[Redskins Diehard]

Republican loons.

Remember the good old days where people posted links to stories so there was at least the illusion of having the full story?

"In October 1991, then-President George H.W. Bush gave a nationally televised speech to students at the District's Alice Deal Junior High School, encouraging them to study hard, avoid drugs and turn in troublemakers. At the time, House Democrats assailed the speech as a misappropriation of education funds for political purposes. "

That is from the article. And you forgot to mention "Board of Education loons"

[Toe Jam]

By 2012 these idiots will be insisting that the televised Presidential debates feature only Mitt Romney, for fear that including Obama would force the networks to air socialist propaganda.

George Orwell would like to speak with you.

[SparkleMotion]

Let's all calm down and look at what's actually going on shall we?

Here's a link:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20090903/pl_ynews/ynews_pl888_1

Here's how Obama himself described what was going to be in his speech:

I'm going to be making a big speech to young people all across the country about the importance of education; about the importance of staying in school; how we want to improve our education system and why it’s so important for the country. So I hope everybody tunes in.

That would be all fine and dandy if it didn't include that tricky little "how we want to improve our education system" part. That's talking policy, and it makes no sense to include that in a speech to kids who can't vote. It's not socialist tyranny, but I can see why some parents might be concerned.

Also, there's a corresponding lesson plan to go along with the speech:

The plan for grades 7-12 includes a "guided discussion," with suggested topics: "What resonated with you from President Obama's speech? What is President Obama inspiring you to do?"

I tend to agree with this press release from the Cato institute:

http://www.cato.org/pressroom.php?display=ncomments&id=270

It's one thing for a president to encourage all kids to work hard and stay in school – that's a reasonable use of the bully pulpit. It's another thing entirely, however, to have the U.S. Department of Education send detailed instructions to public schools nationwide on how to glorify the president and the presidency, and push them to drive social change. Frighteningly, this is what President Obama has done.

In anticipation of the president's planned September 8 address to students nationwide, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan sent a letter and detailed "classroom activities" to schools with all sorts of troubling buzzwords and guidance. In his letter, Duncan asserts that the work of educators is "critical to…our social progress." It's a statement that strongly suggests – as many educators have held and continue to hold – that it is the job of public schools to impose values, often collectivist, on students.

The fear that this might be the case is reinforced by classroom activities for pre-K-6 students that encourages children to make posters setting out "community and country" goals. Perhaps even more frightening is the lesson schools are pushed to teach that it is important to listen to "the President and other elected officials." Possibly most distressing of all, though, is guidance that appears explicitly designed to glorify both the presidency and President Obama himself, encouraging schools to prepare for the speech "by reading books about presidents and Barack Obama." And schools are told to ask students how president Obama will "inspire" them in his speech before he gives it, and how they were inspired after Obama has spoken.

Obama is probably already treated as a demi-god in most public school classrooms anyway. We don't need to give him a direct link to developing minds to further the brainwashing.

[Bang]

Actually, if you can find a high enough resolution photo of Obama, you'll notice his facial pores spell out the entire introduction to Karl Marx's Kommunist Manifesto.

~Bang

[Redskins Diehard]

Do all the "they are loons" people really not see a problem with this kind of assignment?

"having children write letters to themselves about "what they could do to help the president""

And I am SURE they would have had no problem if old George W. Bush asked kids to write that.

Personally I think that it is good for the President to address the kids. I hope it isn't "political" and is strictly "inspirational"

[twa]

Actually, if you can find a high enough resolution photo of Obama, you'll notice his facial pores spell out the entire introduction to Karl Marx's Kommunist Manifesto.

~Bang

I was wondering if anyone else noticed that,I thought I was just projecting.

[mistertim]

Since the outcry, I think the WH has back off to just alittle be good in school.

I glad WH has back off, the school system have enough to do without helping Obama spreading his socialist propaganda to the youth. Bad enough we adults have to deal with it.

Can you tell I'm in a bad mood today?

See my post above this one of yours. That one was just for you.

[DirtyBird]

My son's school has decided to not participate in the event.

[Redskins Diehard]

Actually, if you can find a high enough resolution photo of Obama, you'll notice his facial pores spell out the entire introduction to Karl Marx's Kommunist Manifesto.

~Bang

Glad to see no one side has the market cornered on the glorious literary tool of hyperbole.

[MEANDWARF]

See my post above this one of yours. That one was just for you.

I notice that. Funny.

[MEANDWARF]

My son's school has decided to not participate in the event.

My sons schools are still thinking about. Heck Obama didn't even campaign in our state so why do we have to show his speech, anywhere?

[DjTj]

Do all the "they are loons" people really not see a problem with this kind of assignment?

"having children write letters to themselves about "what they could do to help the president""

meh, all that lesson plan stuff is optional, and teachers could have made their own choices. It probably wasn't the best idea, but the title on the sheets indicate that they weren't written by some political cabal; it was written by a bunch of over-eager teachers.

And I am SURE they would have had no problem if old George W. Bush asked kids to write that.

George H.W. Bush gave a similar address on drugs back in 1989:

In the speech, Mr. Bush said that saying no to drugs ''won't make you a nerd.''

''Presidents don't often get the chance to talk directly to students,'' Mr. Bush said. ''So today, for each of you sitting in a classroom or assembly hall, this message goes straight to you.

''Most of you are doing the right thing. But for those of you who let drugs make their decisions for them, you can almost hear the doors slamming shut.''

Equating drugs with death and displaying the badge of a slain 22-year-old rookie policeman, Mr. Bush said, ''I keep this badge in a drawer in my desk to remind me of that.''

The badge belonged to a New York City police officer, Edward Byrne, who was killed in 1988 while protecting a witness in a drug case. Mr. Byrne's father presented the badge to Mr. Bush last year in a Presidential campaign appearance in New York.

''In the early hours of a cold February morning, sitting in a police cruiser, Eddie was blown away at point-blank range, killed on the order of a drug kingpin. Cold and calculated,'' Mr. Bush said. ''To me this badge is a constant reminder that Eddie Byrne's life was not given in vain.'' A Plea to Help Friends

Mr. Bush coupled his warnings against drug use with a plea that students help troubled friends. ''I'm asking you not to look the other way,'' he said.

http://www.nytimes.com/1989/09/13/us/bush-urges-youngsters-to-help-friends-on-drugs.html

I'm not sure if that's more or less political than what Obama has planned.

Personally I think that it is good for the President to address the kids. I hope it isn't "political" and is strictly "inspirational"

It was probably less inspirational though.

[Redskins Diehard]

meh, all that lesson plan stuff is optional, and teachers could have made their own choices. It probably wasn't the best idea, but the title on the sheets indicate that they weren't written by some political cabal; it was written by a bunch of over-eager teachers.

I think it is all "optional" isn't? Us Department of Education material equal "over-eager teachers". Enhanced interrogation was only endorsed by a few over eager lawyers...meh

George H.W. Bush gave a similar address on drugs back in 1989: http://www.nytimes.com/1989/09/13/us/bush-urges-youngsters-to-help-friends-on-drugs.html

Any idea what the reaction was back then. A bunch of loons claimed it was a "misappropriation of education funds for political purposes". Or at least the address in 1991(according to the Post, not sure if it was the same speech you are referring to or not) was.

[SparkleMotion]

What does it matter if the lesson plan is optional or not?

If there was a mandatory lesson plan and mandatory script the teachers had to read from, then we would really have an issue.

Not to defend Bush, but stay off drugs is a platitude just like stay in school.

If both of them were just doing this as an opportunity to get kids to look at their ugly mugs while muttering inspirational cliches, nobody would have a problem. What Obama wanted to do went beyond that.

[The 12th Commandment]

Have we really come to the point where people think helping the president is a bad thing? I'm sure no one 50 years would have that helping the President could somehow be nefarious. I have never got the feeling (most certainly not myself with Bush) that seems to be popular now where Obama is not "our president". The fact that so many people seem to fall into this line of thinking so easily is scaring the crap out of me.

[Toe Jam]

Dear Obama,

You have inspired me in so many ways. Seriously. I get chills when I hear your name.

I know all these loons want their country back. But I disagree. We shall fight them to the death. We shall fight them as long as it takes for them to realize how wrong they are to oppose you.

Signed,

Not me.

[DjTj]

What does it matter if the lesson plan is optional or not?

If there was a mandatory lesson plan and mandatory script the teachers had to read from, then we would really have an issue.

So ... you're saying it doesn't matter whether it's optional, but if wasn't optional, it would matter? :whoknows:

Not to defend Bush, but stay off drugs is a platitude just like stay in school.

Which is all Obama was probably trying to say.

If both of them were just doing this as an opportunity to get kids to look at their ugly mugs while muttering inspirational cliches, nobody would have a problem. What Obama wanted to do went beyond that.

I don't think it's clear at all that Obama wanted to do anything beyond that. I think some clumsily-written optional lesson plans were disseminated by a group of teaching fellows at the Department of Education, and a bunch of people started assuming the worst.

I think the lesson plans were poorly written and were a bad idea. Next time, I'm sure they will vet these kinds of things through the political people rather than relying on teachers working for a year in a special program in the Department of Education.

[Bang]

I was wondering if anyone else noticed that,I thought I was just projecting.

I never know when you're kiddin'

Anyway, to the topic, this is just silly. When I was a schoolkid I was proud to work hard to achieve Richard Nixon's Presidential Award for Physical Fitness. They made us do it, but as a kid, none of it was political. (Even if it WAS, I wasn't indoctrinated by doing some push-ups for Tricky Dick. Later I recall Jimmy Carter sending all of us 8th graders a message to work hard and try to do our best in whatever we chose to do. I remember almost the exact same message from Ronald Reagan when I was in High School, coupled with a bit from Nancy to stay off of drugs.

As a parent I've seen similar messages from Bush Sr, Bill Clinton, Bush Jr, and now I guess I'll see one from Obama.

And there's nothing wrong with it at all. It's leadership. Believe it or not, we used to look up to the President when we were kids. So do our kids, if for no other reason than he's the President of this country they are taught to love.

~Bang