In response to many calls and emails to my office regarding the White House’s planned live speech to our children on Tuesday September 8th, I have been doing some research. (For reference: click here for a news article about this and here for the White House site on this )
What follows is the response from each school system on how they will be handling this. Remember that each school system has had at BEST 48 hours to respond to this, and according to each county’s website, schools in all four counties are closed Friday and Monday for students. This is problematic for both teachers and parents because there is little time for notification or preparation for this “speech”.
Queen Annes: Dr. Williamson was kind enough to call back first and informs me that they will be following their policy on Video Usage in their classrooms. That is, the teachers and administration must preview the speech BEFORE they can make lesson plans and show it to the students. Once they have seen it, then a decision will be made.
Dr. Williamson added that parents will be permitted to opt their children out, IF they decide to show the speech to the students.
Cecil: Their policy towards this is much the same: They will be viewing the speech and then making a decision.
Kent: The board is” encouraging participation” during the live stream of the speech. It is not going to be a mandatory activity. There will be an alternate activity available however, they were not planning to send a note home about this.
To opt out, the parent/guardian needs to send a note to that child’s teacher.
I am waiting to hear from Kent County parents about their feelings on this plan.
Caroline: As of late this afternoon, I have not yet heard what their policy will be. The system does however, have a teacher work day scheduled for Friday, so we may receive an update tomorrow. In that case, I will update you immediately.
Everything this President does is political. Every speech he gives is designed to convince those listening that HE is right. While I would not have a problem with a President giving a speech aimed at children that stresses the importance of a good education, this Administration will take it to new levels. The initial lesson plan recommendations put out by the Department of Education included questions that were clearly propaganda. The outcry has forced them to review and revise the plans. This makes the entire activity suspect.
This is a time where most citizens in America do not trust their federal government. Tea Parties and Town Meetings have shown the degree of anger caused by Change that flies in the face of our Constitution. This anger is growing at a rate equal to the increasing arrogance of this Administration and congress. Common sense would dictate that the controversy NOT be brought into our schools. As an adult, I have the knowledge, ability, and skills to evaluate what the President says, and put his proposals through a truth and Constitutional test. Children in school lack this ability. In addition, I know a lot of teachers who hold different views and values from mine. Stepping on the toes of parents who believe differently from Obama, or liberal/progressive teachers, is extremely dangerous.
I know how liberals hate it when words like Nazi or Hitler are brought up in discussions on Obama policy, but here again is a good example. Hitler created youth camps and regularly spoke with Germany’s children. He demonized the Jews and convinced many of these children to place the State over family, and to turn parents who opposed him into the Secret Police. Will OUR kids be asked to e-mail the White house with the parents and grand-parents information? Will a White House staffer send e-mail messages to the parents and grand-parents, letting them know that they are on the Obama radar scope?
This activity will not fly, and if allowed, we will need to take the Tea Parties into School Board meetings.
As a whole, his final speech wasn’t bad. His Education Secretary admitted that the lesson plans were porrly thought out, and are now scrapped. So does it make this activity less political propaganda. NO.
He gave his speech at one of the most liberal schools in Northern Virginia, greeted by approximately 40 adoring students. Low and behold, one just had to ask a politically charged question about Health Care. Leave it to Obama to answer it. Were there any kids who could ask what it was going to cost, and wouldn’t the deficit destroy their future? Heck no.
As usual, a carefully placed question slid into a speech about the value of education. Any kid who views the speech will see other Obama adoring peers speaking out for Obama Care. And this is not propaganga?
Lets see what a the teachers, most being very liberal, will do with this…If we let them.
I am against most of what Obama stands for, but on this he is right. When we begin to disregard the basic principles of our constitution, we are handing the terrorists a major victory. We must understand that the vast majority of Muslims are good moral people. The extremists are the ones causing the damage and they are a disgrace to most Muslims. Christians have had their extremists as well…..think of the loonies who protest at soldiers funerals, the KKK, and other Christian Militant groups. It would be ashame to let these fringe groups define the Christian Identity. We should not let that happen to those of other religions either for it will, eventually, come full circle!!!