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September 04, 2009
Obama Speech to Students Draws Conservative Ire
Obama speech to students draws conservative ire
Barack Obama's back-to-school address next week was supposed to be a feel-good story for an administration battered over its health care agenda. Now Republican critics are calling it an effort to foist a political agenda on children, creating yet another confrontation with the White House.
Obama plans to speak directly to students Tuesday about the need to work hard and stay in school. His address will be shown live on the White House Web site and on C-SPAN at noon EDT, a time when classrooms across the country will be able to tune in.
Schools don't have to show it. But districts across the country have been inundated with phone calls from parents and are struggling to address the controversy that broke out after Education Secretary Arne Duncan sent a letter to principals urging schools to watch.
Districts in states including Texas, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Virginia, Wisconsin have decided not to show the speech to students. Others are still thinking it over or are letting parents have their kids opt out.
Some conservatives, driven by radio pundits and bloggers, are urging schools and parents to boycott the address. They say Obama is using the opportunity to promote a political agenda and is overstepping the boundaries of federal involvement in schools.
"As far as I am concerned, this is not civics education — it gives the appearance of creating a cult of personality," said Oklahoma state Sen. Steve Russell. "This is something you'd expect to see in North Korea or in Saddam Hussein's Iraq."
Arizona state schools superintendent Tom Horne, a Republican, said lesson plans for teachers created by Obama's Education Department "call for a worshipful rather than critical approach."
The White House plans to release the speech online Monday so parents can read it. He will deliver the speech at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Va.
"I think it's really unfortunate that politics has been brought into this," White House deputy policy director Heather Higginbottom said in an interview with The Associated Press.
Critics are particularly upset about lesson plans the administration created to accompany the speech. The lesson plans, available online, originally recommended having students "write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president."
The White House revised the plans Wednesday to say students could "write letters to themselves about how they can achieve their short-term and long-term education goals."
~ snipet ~
In the Dallas suburb of Plano, Texas, the 54,000-student school district is not showing the 15- to 20-minute address but will make the video available later.
PTA council president Cara Mendelsohn said Obama is "cutting out the parent" by speaking to kids during school hours.
"Why can't a parent be watching this with their kid in the evening?" Mendelsohn said. "Because that's what makes a powerful statement, when a parent is sitting there saying, 'This is what I dream for you. This is what I want you to achieve.'"
In Wisconsin, the Green Bay school district decided not to show the speech live and to let teachers decide individually whether to show it later.
In Florida, GOP chairman Jim Greer released a statement that he was "absolutely appalled that taxpayer dollars are being used to spread President Obama's socialist ideology."
Despite his rhetoric, two of the larger Florida districts, Miami-Dade and Hillsborough, plan to have classes watch the speech. Students whose parents object will not have to watch.
"We're extending the same courtesy to the president as we do with any elected official that wants to enter our schools," said Linda Cobbe, a Hillsborough schools spokeswoman. Cobbe said the district, which includes Tampa, has gotten calls from upset parents but said officials don't think the White House is trying to force politics on kids.
The Minnesota Association of School Administrators is recommending against disrupting the first day of school to show the speech, but Minnesota's biggest teachers' union is urging schools to show it.
Quincy, Ill., schools decided Thursday not to show the speech. Superintendent Lonny Lemon said phone calls "hit like a load of bricks" on Wednesday.
One Idaho school superintendent, Murray Dalgleish of Council, urged people not to rush to judgment.
"Is the president dictating to these kids? I don't think so," Dalgleish said. "He's trying to get out the same message we're trying to get out, which is, `You are in charge of your education.'"
Wild Thing's comment........
Obama isn’t the superhero he thinks he is. These constant appearances will not net him anything.
Give me four years to teach the children and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted.” - Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at September 4, 2009 07:49 AM
Comments
Up here a lot of schools are NOT showing it because of the parents backlash against it. No one knows what he's going to say to our children and to us, that is completely not appropriate. The lack of transparency is evident. Yes, Bush sr did a speech to schoolkids, but we all knew it was coming and what it would be about-staying off drugs. We know nothing about Obama's speech.
Posted by: Lynn at September 4, 2009 08:25 AM
"I think it's really unfortunate that politics has been brought into this," White House deputy policy director Heather Higginbottom said in an interview with The Associated Press.
Yes it is unfortunate that this POS brings his politics into things like this. He is trying to bring his politics into every aspect of our lives.
Posted by: Bob A at September 4, 2009 09:00 AM
I imagine his speech will be dull as dishwater, but its the materials and suggestions for discussions put out be Dept of Education that is the most concerning. Write a letter to yourself describing how you can help the President. HELP HIM WHAT?
Posted by: Eden at September 4, 2009 09:15 AM
Brain wash the little 'kiddies', and they will turn in their parents. Just like the Hitler Youth did. There are so many similarities it's chilling.
Posted by: Mark at September 4, 2009 11:01 AM
If HE needs help from K-6 age schoolchildren, then that is proof in the pudding he was in NO WAY prepared for this position!!! :)
Posted by: jan at September 4, 2009 12:03 PM
This TV event is not about government or education. It is about obama, selling himself to school children. Could he be planning to still be president when they grow up? Teh One, in love with himself.
Posted by: TomR at September 4, 2009 12:35 PM
Posted by: Jack at September 4, 2009 01:28 PM
