Should plug be pulled
Obama’s School Speech?
by Joe Kirby
MDJ Opinion Editor
September 04, 2009 10:05 PM | 732 views | 10 10 comments | 9 9 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Considering the short attention spans of most school children, and the plodding nature of most political speeches, it’s amazing that so much attention has been focused on President Obama’s planned national address the country’s schools on Tuesday.

But Barack Obama is no plodding speaker, as we all know. And young people are among his biggest fans.

Moreover, schoolchildren are notoriously malleable and impressionable. Those of us of a certain age remember well how we, as school kids, were inundated post-1963 with wave after wave of propaganda disguised as educational materials that left one with the impression that John F. Kennedy ranked with Washington, Lincoln and FDR — or maybe even just a little ahead of them — in the pantheon of past presidents. (Now most historians — a notoriously liberal bunch, mind you — rank him with the Benjamin Harrisons and Martin Van Burens and Grover Clevelands.)

So it’s little surprise that Obama’s planned speech suddenly was the issue de jour as the Labor Day weekend neared.

Cobb School Superintendent Fred Sanderson and Marietta Superintendent Dr. Emily Lembeck left it up to individual schools as to whether to show the speech, and said students would not be penalized if they chose not to watch.

That was a diplomatic way of handling things.

What do you think? Should it be mandatory viewing? Or should they pull the plug on it?
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Comments
(10)
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Marshall Thurmond
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September 07, 2009
I don't think it should be required viewing, but having read the transcript Monday afternoon, I don't think the plug needs to be pulled either.

Actually, it was a very good speech regarding things such as individual responsibility and hard work that students need to hear. I really think that this controversy was "much ado, about nothing".
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School Advocate
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September 07, 2009
Just read THE OBama speech - quite appropriate and harmless ! Actually a good message ! Now, the naysayers need to settle down !
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Teacher Mom
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September 06, 2009
For me, the premise behind any President wanting to address our nation’s students and encourage them to do well and stay in school is wonderful. It’s admirable and may take some kids who are headed in the “wrong” direction and set them straight.

Where I take issue is with the federal government issuing lesson plans and telling teachers what to do. The Federal Government is not supposed to be involved in the running of our local schools. Curriculum is up to the local school district, school board, teachers and parents – NOT the Executive Branch of our Government – regardless what political party they represent.

In almost 30 years as an educator, I do not recall any president – democrat or republican – providing such a suggested lesson plan to accompany his speech.

From what I see and hear, a good portion of our country still does not trust this new president. Not enough is known about him or his past and we haven’t seen anything so far in his administration that is going to change any minds about his capabilities or intentions. If the trust were there, this whole situation would not even be an issue.

Also – it did not appear that this was a well planned and well thought out even. I know that several school officials did not even know about this even one week before the date. That is not usual with a government agency.

Yet – another reason to be skeptical….

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Steve Rhinehart
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September 06, 2009
Although I question how much of it was planned, and how much was a natural turn of events, Reagan and Bush, Sr. both spoke to school children and both somewhat used the time to push their own political agenda. Their addresses were not as well organized and publicized, nor were they backed and touted by the Department of Education. In addition, no pre-speech and post-speech lesson plans were submitted to the school districts by an agency of the Federal Government. The point is that were made mistakes letter Reagan and Bush do it, what has changed, other than they president?

We are still taking an unnecessary chance. Particularly since it will be broadcast and rebroadwcast
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GoodScout
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September 06, 2009
You're right about one thing, Joe: It is amazing how much attention has been paid to this. But the people and organizations that are focused on obstructing and crippling the current administration will focus on anything to accomplish their aims -- even attacking a speech geared to help schoolchildren focus on success and staying in school. It is indeed, the silly season. And those who make an issue of this are either silly, stupid or evil.
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West Cobb Parent
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September 06, 2009
School is for learning, not listening to the President speak about why you should be there, that's a parent's job. Put this on during prime time television - if it's so important - and parents can decide if they want their child to listen to it. This isn't said because of any political leanings or because I am racist. The kids have enough distractions in school to prevent them from learning what counts - they don't need the President and the added lesson material to take away from the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic!
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Utterly absurd....
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September 05, 2009
The plug that should be pulled is on columnists that give further exposure to this ridiculous fit of hysteria by the spoiled grapes right wing brigade in this country that simply can't cope with the fact that an honest and decent family man (who also just so happens to be a Democrat) won the election less than 1 year ago. His speech is going to give the non-partisan message that staying in school is a good idea and the country depends on an educated citizenry (although perhaps the idea of an educated citizenry is just too radical for the right wing shoutocracy...well, unless their point is that an educated citizenry is just another quaint liberal policy). Actually, based on their parents' public behavior, my guess is most of these kids (of ranting right wingers) get anything but a "fair and balanced" diet of propaganda within their own households...it might be a good thing to have them see first-hand that President Obama isn't waving Mao's little red book nor wearing a hammer and sickle lapel pin. Oh wait, I see now....that's exactly "the propaganda" these parents fear most -- the actual truth.
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BabyBoomer1951
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September 05, 2009
If the President wants to speak to the children of our country, then scheduling a time on a Saturday during one of their cartoon programs would be a less controversial solution. This way it takes the monkey off the school systems' backs.
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Support schools
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September 05, 2009
The local school administration should be supported by the parents and community with the decision to have studens watch this event at home with their parents.
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OmaDeb
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September 05, 2009
It's not as much the fact of Obama's planned address to out kids that has parents bothered; it's the follow up suggestions put out by the Obama Administration. Our children and grandchildren see presidential speeches on TV as a matter of course these days. What doesn't happen afterwards at home is our future leaders grinding out essays with themes suggested by Obama's think tank. Many people (both Democrats and Republicans) have begun to realize that with an unprecedented number of handpicked radical "advisers", Obama has an agenda for his tenure in the oval office. Getting our elementary and college kids in the socialist frame of mind as early as possible is of vital importance in fulfilling that agenda. That knowledge scares the living daylights out of any parent with any sense at all.
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