Obama Going to Talk to Kids: Yikes!

I'm so glad my children aren't in elementary school anymore. Otherwise I'd be spending the whole Labor Day weekend fretting over next Tuesday instead of cleaning the ashes out of my ears. 


Tuesday, as you all know, unless you've been preoccupied with your house burning down or ominous mushroom clouds like we have here in LA, is when President Obama is set to give his "socialist" talk to the nation's schoolchildren.

Mind you, no one has actually seen a copy of the president's speech. But that hasn't stopped right-wing crazies and Republicans from insisting that Obama is going to brainwash our kids with his radical ideas about health care, banking, and taxes. All in the span of a few propaganda-packed minutes.

Some parents have demanded that their children be excused from hearing the president speak. I'm taking a wild guess, but I'm pretty sure that African-American parents won't be joining them.

You'd think Obama was showing kids on live TV how to slip a condom on a banana.

Clearly, none of these people has ever never taught a group of squirming six-year-olds like I have, much less a class of smart-mouthy fifth graders or opinionated 16-year-olds in AP U.S. History or they wouldn't be so alarmed. I know this comes as a shock, but students don't hang on every adult word. They're also curiously able to think for themselves.

But tell that to Jim Greer. Greer, the chairman of Florida's Republican Party, has been the most vocal, if not the most literate, opponent of Obama's speech. (An aside here: Notice how it is always Florida and Texas that cause such a political ruckus?)

If you didn't have the pleasure of seeing the Senate hopeful on the news, here's what Greer said in a press release:

As the father of four children, I am absolutely appalled that taxpayer dollars are being used to spread President Obama's socialist ideology. President Obama has turned to the American's [sic] children to spread his liberal lies, indoctrinating American's [sic] youngest children before they have a chance to decide for themselves.

Asked repeatedly where he got the notion that Obama was going to talk about health care and other policy matters when he hadn't actually read the text, Greer strangely couldn't answer.

But strangely Education Secretary Arne Duncan could. And here's what he said about the content of Obama's speech in an interview with AP:

What's so fun about working for the president is this is so personal for him. He did not grow up with a silver spoon in his mouth. His father wasn't around much....And here he is, the president of our country, the leader of the free world, because he received a great education and worked so hard. He's challenging all of us, but he is absolutely going to challenge students and parents to take their education seriously, to really have personal responsibility.

Now critics are saying that it's not the phantom speech that has gotten them riled up. But the lesson plans the Department of Education sent to teachers suggesting, among other ideas, that younger students write Obama letters offering how they can "help" the president. Or that high schoolers answer such cult-of-personality questions as, "What is President Obama inspiring you to do?"

That's it. I am never sending the teenagers to school again.

Since the Education Department's lesson plans caused such a fuss, I'd like to propose my own essay questions that teachers can use in conjunction with the president's speech. (Caution: They are not organized according to grade level.)

1) Who is Jim Greer? And why doesn't he know basic rules of grammar?

2) What is a socialist? (Parents must answer this question, too.) Name a current leader of a socialist country or one from the 20th century. (Hint: It is not an American president.)

3) Why do you think Obama gave this speech to the nation's students? What was he trying to say?

4) What did you think about it? Did you like it? Why? Why not?

5) Write your own speech as if you were addressing the nation's students. (Hint: Avoid all socialist rhetoric or points will be deducted.)

6) Why do you think some students' parents (not yours, of course) wouldn't let their children watch the president speak? Do you believe they had that right? Why or why not?

7) What is the high-school dropout rate in Texas and Florida?

And finally, for extra credit: As a young person, what can you do to make America better?

Follow Mona Gable on Twitter: www.twitter.com/monalg

Comments

[KachinaLover]

How dare anyone tell your children to try hard in school!!! Yeah, that makes alot of sense. How are you idiot parents opposed to Obama feeling right about now???

Thankfully, I think the vast majority of parents out there are smart enough to realize that Obama's address to schoolchildren is just that ---- JUST A SPEECH ---- not a brainwashing session that some irrational "parents" have ludicrously claimed. Anyone with half a brain is intelligent enough to realize that a small motivational pep talk to children isn't about some ulterior motive and isn't going to change anyone's political stance ----- least of all the students'. Many politicians on both national and local levels of both parties have made similar speeches before in the past and NO ONE has EVER complained like this. At the end of the day, this peevish opposition to Obama's address is all about unwarranted hatred toward Obama, no matter what the issue is. All of this ridiculous, petulant opposition to everything Obama says and does is being stirred up by the "birthers" and other various assorted, lunatic-fringe crazies, not the rational, level-headed Republicans.

[steveswife]

I watched the whole speech and I have saved it for my husband to watch; he is from a very Republican family who would disapprove of Obama even if he found the cure for AIDS! I want him to be armed when one of them cries about Obama brainwashing their youth. This has caused much chaos in our marriage; I am having a hard time being around his family and friends and sadly I find that there are times I wish I wasn't married to him. :( I should have looked at his family closer; I truly had no idea what I was getting myself into.

[Blaster]

Why does Florida and Texas make so much noise well Im trapped in the most boreing and wasted state next to South Carolina, and Texas Florida the braindead rude backward relegious idiots. Thats why you get so much noise. God helpus if brains cost money they would not pay for them.
PS there are some good people in Florida far and few between.

[GwenD]

Honestly, anyone who objected to this speech should be oh-so-embarrassed.

[Getalifealready]

The difference between the right and left is, the Democrats did not make a fuss or protest when Regan & Big Bush spoke to kids. Repugs get their knickers all twisted at the mere thought of Obama. I never voted for Little Bush and have hated him with a passion from day 1 but I would not have kept my kids out of school just because the Prez wanted to talk to them. I mean, what coherent sentences could he have offered them?

[steveswife]

fanned! lol!

[deloharo]

My goodness, what has become of our nation? The President of our country wants to address its children to encourage them to stay in school to make the best of themselves and the Republican party jumps all over him? That's just plain stupid!! My goodness, what kind of direction and moral support are these poor kids getting at home from these wacko parents? If George Bush would have done the same thing, the Democrats might have been concerned about his ability to speak full sentences but they would not have shown such disrespect for the Office of the President by undermining his efforts in such a public way. I am embarrassed for them. They have drifted so far away from what America is all about!

[Jeaneology]

My grandson is only 7 years old, so I am going to print that speech & read it to him every time he needs a little motivation throughout his school years. Very inspiring. BTW, I saw kindergarten children getting off a schoolbus on my lunch hour. Their eyes weren't glazed over, they were walking just fine...I THINK they will be OK.

[chameleon59]

I don't often give kudos to Chuck Todd, but he hit the nail on the head this afternoon while a Republican strategist was going on about the president being such a charismatic and persuasive speaker. Todd interrupted him with an incredulous -

Wait! Are you telling me that your objection is that the kids might actually LIKE the President?

[TJC]

If you don't respect the "Office" you don't deserve to occupy it. Laura Bush said this morning that everyone needs to respect the President of the United States. Not sure why she said this today....oh yes....she was an educator! Thank you Laura for your kind words for the Obamas.

[robbyJ]

I just saw the speech on television. All I can say is, I wish I heard those words when I was in High school.

I think it should be a duty of the president to speak to the school children of America atleast once ever term.

[lesterbud]

I will say it...

The only reason these people are so scared of their children seeing our President on the TV in school is that their little brainwashe­d-junior-w­hite-supre­macists will see him as intelligent, sensible, coherent, funny, caring, articulate and, gasp, patriotic. These are all the things these mega-conservative parents have been telling their little darlings he is not.

It has nothing to do with anything else other than the potential loss of their false feelings of racial superiority.

[robbyJ]

They only fear it, because Fox told them to be afraid. Rupert Murdock who signs the check over at Fox news doesn't want kids to grow up seeing the world as it really is.

[DickyTrik]

Bingo! Patriotism, common-sense, compassion and comedy would not be as great without other races contributing parts of THEIR culture. When people recognize others as their equals & not as lame-brained masses not to be concerned with, we ALL prosper!

[houseofdny]

From my experience, and even in some of friendships I have, there is a casual racism and sense of superiority that pervades the culture of successful white Australians such as Murdoch. Not unlike their ancestors in the old British Empire, but less charming and more "I'm just having a bit of fun while I keep you under my thumb." The numbers massing in opposition to Obama are the most visceral and reactionary end of this thread of hatred, that begins only with backhanded offensiveness, but grows through the threat of a shift in power.

[Sista42]

I could not have said it better myself, DIDDO

[DickyTrik]

Can't wait to see it, such a good speech! I love how a man of his intellect is able to talk down to the level of our children & still keep it REAL!

[BusGreg]

Less than half an hour to go....

http://www.whitehouse.gov/live

[AndSoItGoes]

As a Republican all my life, all I can say is they make me ashamed to ever have been associated with such an anti-American organization. It is anti-American not to recognize democracy and respect the office of the Presidency and the President after the majority of Americans have elected him. All of these labels placed directed at him are ludicrous. This country has had various programs initiated through government initiatives & yes some are leaning more toward what has been pigeon holed as socialist, Medicare, care for our veterans, etc. AND, most Republicans like these programs.

To create such a climate of hate & fear by irresponsible parents & politicians with their own personal agendas that have nothing to do with governing & everything to do with their own re-elections is very telling of a society in trouble. It isn't the President who people should be afraid of, it is the hate mongers and the immature headline seekers who we should be concerned about and their influence in children who need positive and constructive role models.

[jemborg]

fanned

[houseofdny]

I don't think I've ever felt more center-right, but been made to feel more liberal. It's, it's a really bizarre time we're living in. I don't have the level of self-importance to feel that our time is more important than any other time in the nation's history, but of course we're living it and people will globalize what they internalize. And I believe now more than ever that the first Democrat I ever voted for President was the right choice, even if only to amplify the shortcomings of those who seek to destroy the progress of our country.

[Gospodean]

Wow. Powerful words. Well said.

[jemborg]

fanned too

[Gospodean]

Thanks for your comment. I keep telling myself and friends that there ARE thoughtful, reasonable Republicans out there, but they are being grossly outshouted by the immense megaphones of Fox News and talk radio, and are thus being shunted out of the normal discourse of ideas.

There is nothing that President Obama said in his speech that could be considered anti-American or even oppositional to conservative values. Instead, a call to responsibility can only be a good thing-- it's certainly not something we hear everyday. Parents these days can use a good guideline for teaching their children how to be thoughtful, creative and dedicated citizens. If our elected leaders have good ideas, we should listen. And you're right, the media (mainstream and otherwise--and yes, Fox, you are part of the MSM) has shirked their responsibilities in a very big way. There is no way that one can become educated by watching TV anymore. Opinionated, perhaps, but not educated.

So, parents, it's on YOU. Meet regularly with your child's teachers. Hold your children responsible for their success in school. If they're failing, take away their XBox. Hold them to a higher standard and they will do better.

[Colorado Bobby]

Thank you. It is nice to know that for every radical conspiracy theorist there is at least one voice of reason.