09/08/09
Did you know your children (or the kids in your neighborhood) will receive a pep talk from President Obama this morning? If you are curious or concerned, you can read the president’s prepared remarks. The White House was forced to post the speech after a brouhaha erupted among conservatives and Obama critics who believe that the president’s back-to-school address is a form of liberal indoctrination or a stealth move to advance healthcare reform.
I would love to hear from those who heard the remarks from themselves, particularly students and teachers. Did you find the address inspiring? Alarming? Boring?
9-8-2009 08:21:25
I’ll be waiting to see the speech, too. But the previews are revealing that he’ll be talking about such controversial topics as staying in school and working hard.
I saw a clip from ABC News that showed other presidents talking to school kids. They even showed President George H.W. Bush asking kids to send letters to the White House — which was supposed to be the fig leaf reason given by Obama bashers why they opposed the current president’s address to schoolkids.
Maybe if we play Obama’s back-to-school speech backwards, we’ll get a secret message telling us where his real birth certificate can be found!
9-8-2009 17:57:52
The high school I go to chose not to show the speech. I consider my school to be a very open minded and patriotic school, so I was quite surprised when 12 o’clock rolled around and the speech was not being played in my IB Psychology class. Robinson is part of the International Baccalaureate program, which is an advanced placement program that prides itself on open minded and well rounded world views, as well as students who relish learning. I would think that a school with such advanced views would understand the importance of our president addressing all students. I was disappointed.
9-9-2009 09:41:41
Caitlin, after reading your post I decided to check with my sister out in AZ because my niece also attends an IB high school. I was surprised to learn that her entire school district opted out from hearing our President speak.
9-9-2009 10:10:54
I heard the speech and found it inspiring, basic, and good. Absolutely nothing “socialist” or “communist” or “indoctrinating” about it — unless one considers telling kids to have goals and to stay in school a form of socialism or indoctrination? So I wonder what the fuss was REALLY all about.
We all have a right to our views, and the right to disagree. Yet lately I have been so embarrassed by, and disappointed in, the American parents who were throwing tantrums over Obama’s speech — before they even knew what he was going to say.
Fear and ignorance are scary things. Our president is trying to teach our kids to overcome them through education. How sad that there are parents who can’t see past their own fears ….