Stay in School, and Other Socialist Propaganda
Claremont Elementary School in North Carolina, among other schools, refused to air President Obama's back-to-school speech earlier today. The rationale: what children hear should be up to their parents. (It's probably not a coincidence that most schools making this choice are located in districts where Obama lost to McCain.)
The irony is overwhelming. Obama, the socialist dictator with his evil health care plan . . . let's censor everything he says. Including the part about getting educated and informed. (The basic message of the speech was: stay in school and work hard. Give up on yourself, and you give up on your country. Incendiary stuff!)
There are a few basic points that need to be made here. First, Obama is the President already. Even if you disagree with what he says, it matters. Instead of refusing to allow your children to be up to date on current affairs, it's possible to tell them why you disagree with the President. For instance: "Honey, I know President Obama said today that it's unlikely you will be a basketball star or a famous rapper. I know how talented you are, though. You're the next LeBron James. So I support you spending more time shooting hoops and less time finishing your homework." It wouldn't be my choice, but it can be yours.
Second, freedom of speech is in the First Amendment. There is a nice opportunity there to teach your kids about letting people say what they have to say, even if you disagree with it. It's one of the bedrock principles this country was founded on.
Finally, are we so cynical right now that we distrust the President to deliver a basic back-to-school welcome? We knew in advance what his message was. Did we really think he had a secret plan to lobby for a public option or talk about the war? I know George W. Bush would not have done that, and there was not much I would have put past him.
I understand what it feels like when you just want to turn off the television. I did it myself, when W. talked about gay marriage and told yet another lie about weapons of mass destruction. But parents have responsibilities to make sure we raise children who are educated and capable of basic civic engagement. I like to think that if I had kids, I would have said to them: "Honey, President Bush thinks gay marriage is wrong. I strongly disagree, and here is why. What do you think?" If we can't have those conversations--even on uncontroversial subjects like staying in school--we're going to have no chance of solving health care, global environmental crises, and the other massive problems we face. We have to be informed, and we have to speak to each other, to tackle these challenges. Let's not stop our kids before they get started.
James Moore: The Lies of Texas Are Upon You
We tell people not to mess with Texas but that's because we reserve the right to mess it up ourselves, which we are doing quite effectively.
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Read 'Dumbing us Down' by John Taylor Gatto if you want to know why our public schools are cranking out more and more dependent people every year.
Few people had any problem with him giving the speech (George Bush 1991 met with MUCH more flack for his similar speech to schoolchildren); it was the "lesson plan" that most objected to. And yes, the "health plan" forwarded at least up until this point IS socialist so be honest about it at least !
No, it was the fantasy "lesson plan" the right wing loons made up that people objected to. The real objection far as I can tell was to the notion that children should acknowledge the moral authority of an African-American President.
The health plan put up to this point is NOT "socialist
If the lesson plan was a fantasy, then why did both parties acknowledge it. Why did Democrats defend it if it did not exist?
The DoE did acknowledge the plan, and changed it as it said that the language could be misleading.
I am not supporting the lies told by either party, but at least I do my research to determine what is factual and what is not.
I'm responding to this: "More and more, parents feel undermined by school officials who shamelessly attempt to "fix" children raised with traditional values." I am an inner city school teacher (special education, learning disabilities) , and I do not make enough money for what I do day in and day out. I am not required to do some of the things I do, like purchase books, notebooks, folders, calculators, maps, pencils, pens, and other required materials every month. I am also not required to become a students second parent in areas you take for granted in the suburban system. I deal with mental health, basic health (neglect), and behavioral problems. I daydream about instilling kids with a liberal agenda, but instead I instill them with education, hope, trust, independence, perseverance, AND Obama's message of staying in school. I do more than what is required. Fact is, they may never experience this kind of education in their homes. It is not the teachers fault that kids do not come prepared to learn, have dysfunctional families, and are poor, but we take it on because it comes with our job. Yes, we do want to change these children! It is sad that you consider this indoctrination. We cannot succeed all the time. We cannot take the place of their parents, and with so little financial help, kids suffer. It is too often I come across your kind of ignorance. Such fine frosting on the cake for what teachers do.
Ann,
I know this isn't said as often as it should be, but thank you for what you do.
Of course Obama wants kids to stay in school. Most schools are publically funded which means they're socialist. Obama is trying to indoctrinate our kids to be socialist. If they stay in school long enough they'll get to like socialism.
I think the right wing is correct. Kids should drop out of school and find jobs in private corporations where they'll be a part of real America. I'm sure they can find a job in the mall or at McDonalds. Let them start earning wages and enjoy the freedom of being a minimum wage employee with no future. It's the teabagger way.
The conservative republicans are morally and socially dangerous. They would go to great lenghts to throw a tantrum and "make a point". It scares me that they are actually advocating for their kids never to get healthcare and drop out of school. They would do it just to make a point. In the Gospell, Jesus said, on Matthew 7:10 "Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?" Well, I think the conservative republicans would endanger the safety of their kids just because glenn beck or sarah palin told them so.
"conservative republicans would endanger the safety of their kids...."
*Really*?
C'mon, all parents love their kids, and want to see them grow up strong and healthy. Mudslinging is just silly. Just because someone disagrees about health care issues, or what is taught at school, it doesn't make them a lousy parent. (And I say this as someone who wants to see a single-payer, socialized medical system here.)
If you don't have anything nice to say.......
"The conservative republicans are morally and socially dangerous" -- funny, that's the same thing they say about liberal democrats.
It seems that any time you tune in to any media outlet these days, both republicans and liberals are so busy trying to blame each other for all of today's problems, and projecting that all of tommorrow's problems are also the fault of the other. And of course, each claims that only they could possibly be correct in any of their ideas, and therefore the only ones who deserve to lead this country.
It is no wonder that this country is going downhill, when all of its leaders are so busy calling names and pointing fingers that they are neglecting their responsibility to those who elected them.
I am not a great fan of Obama's policies, yet, considering that he is our president, I would like to see both sides cut all the crap and do their job to work together for the betterment of America.
Me, too. Unfortunately, the corporatist media is leading most "conservatives" by their noses, to a place where the kind of cooperation you're talking about, will never be possible again.
Forcing a captive audience of kids to watch a televised speech at school is not a shining example of free speech, no matter how you slice it. It sounds like the President's speech would have been a great thing for parents to watch TOGETHER with their kids, however. I agree fully that parents should help kids learn more about our political system.
I think what makes parents nervous is the thought of teachers being the ones leading the class discussion about political issues, such as Bush's condemnation of gay marriage. Though this might sometimes be appropriate at the high school level, younger kids are easily manipulated into agreeing with the teacher's views. More and more, parents feel undermined by school officials who shamelessly attempt to "fix" children raised with traditional values. This is less about Obama than about a growing distrust of the local school system.
Oh please. Did you just make that up?
"...younge
Did you feel the same way when Ronald Reagan delivered a back-to-school address?
Forcing a captive audience of kids to watch and learn things IS school.
If they weren't being forced, none of them would sit through a single math or history class, they'd all run outside.
any time the TV gets rolled in, they probably perk up, and the message from the Pres. was great.
Kristina, you wrote:"I like to think that if I had kids, I would have said to them: "Honey, President Bush thinks gay marriage is wrong. I strongly disagree, and here is why. What do you think?" "
There is the heart of the issue. Republicans as a rule, and especially the ones keeping their kids out of school over this, do not have that kind of conversation with their children. It's a bit more authoritarian than that. It's not about sharing thoughts and feelings, it about dictating beliefs and behaviors, or there will be punishment. That is exactly how they are used to behaving in the political arena. That is why they are so outraged by their own impotence. Their "parental" authority to dictate is being ignored.
A very good point about fundamental worldviews as applies to parenting style. Thanks!
Well said. People who are supposedly are for freedom have no qualms teaching their children to censor views they disagree with; not to mention teaching children to disrespect a democratically elected President of the United States. It seems to me that this is really not about what Obama says but who Obama is: a black man who has no business being president even though he was elected by the majority of the people.
How many people taught kids to disrespect Bush? Is that equally inappropriate? Or are we only allowed to criticize white presidents? Perhaps the rest of America is not actually as racist as you appear to be.
Bush and his administration did a lot of inappropriate things. I believe, after 8 years of his administration, he has all the respect he is due, and then some. He was a President of the United States, but by a great many accounts, a pretty bad one. I'm sure you don't want me to start listing the mistakes here, but it wouldn't take long to think of one or two very serious ones. (Katrina, the war in Iraq waged on trumped-up excuses, just to name a couple.)
Bush earned every bit of disdain thrown his way.
It's amazing to me that anyone believes Obama is going to say something on national television that children cannot - and/or should not - hear.
The time to be fearful of our president is over.
This is why ZI'm delighted that the federal court system will hear legal arguments against proposition 8. It is fair to say that the majority of fly over regions within the country don't provide anything but absolutist, irrational objections to everyone who is making the rules when they are not.
As for health care, the republicans will never support anything. This is what their supporters want. Not because they don't want quality affordable health care, but because they want to see Obama fail.
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