REXBURG NEWS: Obama at School: Tempest in a Teapot?
Poorly made by Dallan Wright (On the road without Photoshop)
“Never in my lifetime have I known people to be so suspicious of the President of the United States, or been so wary of what he might say to their children,” said a Rexburg resident concerning the address President Barack Obama plans to deliver to America’s students this coming Tuesday, September 8, 2009. Another resident adds, “The fact that the address is optional for schools speaks volumes towards the whole thing.”
Is it politically-based, or simply a chance for school children to view a message from the president geared directly for them? The information provided at the following link http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/academic/bts.html outlines the objectives of the address, “During this special address, the president will speak directly to the nation’s children and youth about persisting and succeeding in school. The president will challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning.”
What some people are getting upset about are the suggested lesson plans given to schools to use before, during, and after the speech. For example in the “During the Speech” category, the following questions are provided for teachers to ask students to think about,
What is the president trying to tell me?
What is the president asking me to do?
What new ideas and actions is the president challenging me to think about?
And “After the Speech,” the following discussion questions include,
What do you think the president wants us to do?
Does the speech make you want to do anything?
Are we able to do what President Obama is asking of us?
What specific job is he asking me to do?
(Click the following link for the complete suggested lesson plans.
http://www.ed.gov/teachers/how/lessons/prek-6.pdf)
Schools in Madison School District 321 are giving principals the option whether or not to view and discuss President Obama’s address. Some have opted out. The following letter was sent home to parents from the Hibbard School, “We have received word that President Obama is going to address the children of America next Tuesday about the importance of staying in school. It was hard enough getting the fourth grade students to pay attention when the President was inaugurated. Therefore, we are asking parents to view the speech at home with their children, at their convenience. We support democracy and respect our president, but time restraints as well as the age of the children in grades kindergarten through fourth suggest that parents handle this one at home where they can personally encourage children to stay in school and become educated. If you are unable to view the speech at home and would like to come to the school to see it, you may make arrangements to use one of our computers by contacting the school.”
South Fork Elementary School has also opted out, saying their schedule is simply too tight to fit it in. The Rexburg Standard Journal reports that Sugar City schools will be viewing the speech.
Parents expressed mix feelings. A discussion on the topic yielded the following thoughts:
“I think it’s a tempest in a teapot. It’s a lot of fuss over something that won’t have any effect on children.”
“It’s something adults are upset about, but it’s over the kids’ heads.”
“It’s like paying homage to King Obama.”
“It’s a platform for liberal teachers to teach children liberal ideas. Keep politics out.”
“Why tell kindergarteners to stay in school? They like school already.”
“It’s a waste of time that could be used meeting other curriculum goals.”
“Families should be reviewing this together. The kids won’t be paying attention in a school setting.”
How do you see it? “Historical” (as the Department of Education and the White House have deemed it)? Or hubbub? Or worthy of parental concern? Sound off with your comment below.
I call bull on the Hibbard School and any others taking the same stance. The only reason they aren’t showing it is because the Republicans have a passionate hate for this President, just as the Democrats had a passionate hate for George W. Bush. I wonder if the American people ever had any sense at all or if it’s always boiled down to “my guy isn’t in the White House so I oppose everything.”
The principals in this country who are taking this unusual stand are doing so in order to avoid passionate dissent from republican parents, or they’re using their power and position to snub the President. It’s as simple as that.
If it was about wasting time or not boring the 4th graders they would cancel half the assemblies they subject students to in general.
I’m sick of the partisan system getting in the way of American loyalty. Republican’s scream that this speech is just a political ploy and Democrats scream that Republican’s just hate Obama. The man is the PRESIDENT of this great country. No matter what your political beliefs are, the man should be respected. I think political parties are the biggest detriment to politics in America today.
Right on Dave.
Agreed with everything said here. It is a partisan system and it IS getting in the way with how America functions as a whole. If we can’t even listen to a 10 minute speech by the President (the last 3 or 4 have ALSO done this and had the students view it without much/any complaint) then what are we going to do about healthcare? What about restricting the banking industry and wall-street? If we can’t start getting everybody on the same page then we aren’t just going to limit ourselves and go nowhere… we’re going to go on a steady path DOWN. Not a pretty sight.
When a president has blatantly lied and has been caught in that lie over and over. He is not qualified to teach my child.