President's speech: Much ado about nothing?
President Obama is making a speech to school-age children at noon today (Sept. 8). Many schools across the nation will air the message in their classrooms. My daughter will see it in her middle school.
This is not a groundbreaking event. Several presidents have made similar presentations in schools, including President George H.W. Bush in 1991 and President Ronald Reagan in 1988. There also have been historical events shared in the classroom, such as space shuttle launches and presidential elections.
The American culture is very different, however, than it was in past years. With the onset of technology and overcommunication of data, many of us have more details than ever before. Take, for example, the fact that Education Secretary Arne Duncan sent a letter to principals urging schools to watch President Obama’s speech. I’m not sure this type of detail was readily available before.
Also, there has been a lot of conversation around what is appropriate to share with our children in school. Personally, I don’t have a problem with the president of the United States encouraging our children to work hard, excel at school and care about their country. Our president is the leader of our nation; the person whose job it is to serve and protect the American people. The only problem I would have is if the message is politically motivated or partisan in nature.
Some critics have complained that the hand-outs sent to elementary schools focus on conversations centered on President Obama, such as “What is the President asking me to do?” and “Are we able to do what President Obama is asking of us?” It has been argued that this sends a message of focusing on the president, not America.
Why not ask, “What can I do for my country?” To read the speech, click here. For a look at the suggested classroom activities sent to schools for K-6th grades, click here. For 7th-12th grades, click here.
Is this a big to-do about nothing or is it taking politics too far? What is appropriate to share in schools? How was the speech received by your child and your school?
Learn more about Denise
Isn’t Rush Limbaugh the same person who was calling OUR PRESIDENT a “halfrican” a while back?
The fact that you allow this man to speak for you says volumes about the credibility of your beliefs about President Obama.
Wow, I fear for the future of SC when you read the posts of brainwashed conservatives like Mr. Williams spouting the talk radio “BS”. Now is the time for intelligent people of our state to confront these yoyo’s on the merit of their rediculous statements.
Conservatives have had problems with blacks in their schools for over a century, and the objection to Obama’s school broadcast is just one more episode in the disgrace that is the history of blacks and education in the south. Many conservatives, consciously or not, cringe at the notion of a black man in authority. Obama is not their president; to them he is one more black person trying to get into a school he has no business being in. The speech uproar was just another busing protest, without the buses.
Its a sad day for our country, when we recite …”one nation under God… What a shame that our nation is so divided by the color of our skin. They can cook for you, they run touchdowns for you, they can work beside me and teach my children but you can not lead me. Its a shame
My nephew loved the speech. It inspired him a little more to think someone as high as the President of the United States cares enough to make time and bring encouraging words to he and fellow classmates around the world.
From the parent’s perspective, the reaction proves the fact that all of the nonsense that has occurred this summer with Healthcare and this speech prove the fact that some of my white peers are racist. They are the minority but they get attention to the media and that is exactly what the media wants.
I believe most republicans have no reason being republicans so I know that fear and ignorance is rampant in the follows of that party. Folks, it boils down to where are you economically in your life, social issues and what your parents voted for have nothing to do with who you need to affiliate yourself with in 2009.
Did any of you even read this article? Denise asked the question, is it fair to force schoolchildren to watch a speech that could be potentially political and/or partisan in nature? It had nothing to do with the color of Obama’s skin.
It is not fair to call every Republican a rascist. There are, believe it or not, certain issues that Democrats & Republicans disagree on other than whether they care about the color of the President’s skin.
You want to talk about ignorance and judgement? It goes both ways.