What a great idea! President Obama will be addressing the nation’s kids at noon on September 8, which is when most schools start back up for the 2009-2010 school year. He will be telling them to study hard, set goals, and all those other inspirational things that we adults say to kids to try to get them motivated for the next 180 plus school days.
The radical right and its best pot stirrer, Fox News, are all wrought up now over President Obama’s plans. This will be the first time a sitting president has addressed the nation’s school children, so apparently change is a very difficult thing for many folks. What seems to be adding fuel to this new fire is some accompanying optional lesson plans prepared by the DOE. There is an elementary set and a secondary set. They look like any standard set of DOE lesson plans to me. No new news here.
There are even people on a particular (choke-ahem) news show suggesting that parents might want to keep their kids home so they don’t become indoctrinated. WHAT? There is some serious paranoia floating around out there. Was President Bush endoctrinating kids on 9-11 when he was reading the goat book to a classroom of school children? How would that excuse read: Der Scule, My little johnny did not go to this here scule becuz the prezident wanted to git in his brain?
Snide remarks like Superintendent in Chief are being hurled about also. Well yea, What a great mission–give every kid a good talking to about how to succeed in school. Radical thought there. Hopefully, President Obama will be a good role model as an instructional leader. Hopefully he will set the stage for a successful school year. Maybe some kids who would otherwise be tuned out and turned off might, just might listen, and be inspired. And if 1 kid changes who might otherwise be a drop out, mission accomplished.
This newest Radical Right drum beating is enraging because it hurts the kids of America.
Damon Weaver’s interview with President Obama
Secretary Dept. of Education Ann Duncan’s letter to administrators
Any different then the paranoia that McDonnell will be passing legislation requiring all women to stay home barefoot spitting out kids?
Douche-bags are douche-bags. You got them here and Fox has them there.
“This newest Radical Right drum beating is enraging because it hurts the kids of America.”
I think there’s a whole hell of a lot going on in this country hurting kids much more then getting addressed by Obama. Forgive me if I’m not enraged by this.
Yeah, I’ve been reading about this. Honestly, from this right-wing lunatic, I don’t see what the big fuss is. I don’t think it’s an indoctrination thing. And I wouldn’t keep my kids out of school for it (they’d like that too much!) I would talk to my son about it after school (dinner table, something like that) but I doubt there will be any brain-washing taking place. But I see the right and to a small extent, Fox News making a big deal of it. But that’s the way it goes. Look at the Washington Compost literally blanketing their pages with theses feces. That annoys me, but again, that’s the way it goes. Perhaps McDonnell didn’t want to participate in a WashPo “pimp out a politician” party! Don’t know. But each side will continue to pound on the other, and probably to their own detriment.
Plus controversy guarantees website hits which boosts advertising income.
Ever consider yourself a pawn to Fox’s advertising campaign MH?
President Obama is a testament to the American dream, just like Bill Clinton, neither was born with a silver spoon, both had no father, both from humble beginnings. Barak Obama had even more to overcome.
Even though people may have a different political view, to suggest that it would be dangerous to interact with a president is simply infantile. I was not a fan of Bush junior, but NEVER, and I mean NEVER, would I suggest to my children that the President of the United States did not deserve the respect due his office. Parents lead by example, and I would say, these parents are leading by a very poor example.
I don’t think anyone believes McDonnell will attempt to pass legislation requiring barefoot and pregnant. I simply think some people don’t want a governor who has those beliefs. Beliefs like that do not exist in solitary confinement.
Show me a person with that mentality and I will show you the spill over onto 100 different other topics.
I think I am too small of a fish in too big of a pond, namely the blogosphere, to be considered a pawn. I dislike the idea that a news agency deliberately attempts to stir up people, in much the same way blogs do. That really isn’t news. It’s uber-blogging or something.
Speaking of journalists, Charles Gibson is retiring.
Elena, total agreement. Don’t teachers still post a picture of the president (whoever he might be) in the classroom? I would think keeping your kids home over a brief TV message might even be illegal. That is very infantile thinking. The president is the president, whether named Bush, Clinton, Obama, Reagan, etc. Children should be taught to be respectful of the office.
The President should deliver his message and leave it at that. I think what people are upset about is the fact that the DOE has sent along a lesson plan with the speech. Btw, the timing couldn’t have been better, 12:00, lunch time!
“I would think keeping your kids home over a brief TV message might even be illegal.”
That would certainly be ominous and would lead me to believe the paranoia.
The only thing I have a problem with is asking kids to:
“Write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president. These would be collected
and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their
goals.”
I would expect letters to be written about how to help your community,not necessarily the President, but I don’t think I would get my panties in a bind over this one. Don’t think I would equate this to the scurge of communism yet 😉 Seems to me this was but a very small part of the overall excericise which promotes strong goals and working hard to achieve them.
“paranioa will destroy ya”
Personally, I’m fine with this for the most part.
But I am STRONGLY against politics in the classroom.
And I take issue with this statement:
“Der Scule, My little johnny did not go to this here scule becuz the prezident wanted to git in his brain?”
It’s a poor assumption that IF someone chooses to keep there child away from school for this it’s based solely on ignorance. I could think of several other reasons. Maybe I don’t want little Johnny subjected to political marketing in the public school system. I haven’t seen Obama do much to reach out to conservatives or bring us together as a nation past political lines so why should I, a conservative, trust him that he wants to set a good example for my kids? (I not necessarily meaning ME personally)
Most ignorant parents don’t really give a flip anyways. School is no more then a daycare to them.
I’ll judge it by what he says. I’m not so sure it’s really a good idea. I’m not entirely sure it won’t be political. I have a feeling it’ll reinforce the perception of government as a Big brother capable of making all things right, rather than reflecting the more complex reality that people need to do for themselves.
I am a bit disturbed that Big Brother intends to use school kids to get higher census turnout.
Hey, my kids wrote to the Bushes and were pysched to get pics of the Pres. and his lady. Of course, they also said, “He looks old” but so what?
I think it’s neat.
And if people are really that opposed to the President and their children watching such things, they probably don’t have their kids in public schools anyway. If they do, I bet they are seriously high maintenance parents.
Hopefully this is a new tradition that future Presidents will continue, regardless of whether they are a republican or democrat. Encouraging children to do their best and giving students the opportunity to talk about our government is a good thing. I haven’t heard anyone talking about keeping their kids home over this and doubt the majority of republicans will be concerned. All I’m hearing about from my friends who are parents is swine flu! Sounds like Purell is going to be a necessary school supply item this year for our kids’ classrooms.
Hello, if you are at work and doing an annual review, how do you write your goals? How are you held accountable? This is the kid version.
write a letter to yourself about your goals. Later on, in the spring the teacher hands them back and asks the kids if they reached/met their goals. It is done all the time in schools across
America, in many different subjects.
I saw nothing in either set of suggested activities that looks the least bit different from any other set of canned ‘lesson plans.’ They aren’t written by the White House either. They were written by some ex-teawcher now beaurocrat who left the classroom just in time before he/she tore some little jerk’s head off.
Mando, surely even you has seen that email that circulates around every year or 2 about writtten excuses teachers get for kids’ absences. Parody time. As for illegal? Isn’t it state law that you have to send your kids to school unless they are in some other state approved program that accomplishes the same thing? (private school or home school?) Last I heard you couldn’t just opt out of being educated.
I agree with you about politics in the classroom, unless of course it is a government class. Sort of hard to avoid politics there.
I have a problem with people always trying to make something out of nothing. I wasn’t the wildest of Obama fans myself, but, I have squared off more in his corner just because of the nastiness and lies.
“Isn’t it state law that you have to send your kids to school unless they are in some other state approved program that accomplishes the same thing? (private school or home school?) Last I heard you couldn’t just opt out of being educated.”
I misunderstood your statement. I thought you were talking about missing one activity not opting out of school entirely.
I’m sorry, but I fail to see Obama as more then just a politician. Not a role model in my book. I’m not raising a politician.
Mando, Obama is a role model to many kids, in particular, but not exclusively, minority kids. While he might not be inspirational to your kids, I am betting that somewhere out there, some kid, regardless of race, is going to hear his words and do a turn around.
Look at the people who were inspired by the words of JFK. A boy raised by a single mother in a town called Hope heard those words and was inspired to do well and become the best he could be. His own life was about as far away from JFKs as one could get, but somewhere a spark was lit.
Moon, you asked “Hello, if you are at work and doing an annual review, how do you write your goals? How are you held accountable? This is the kid version.”
Did you even read what I posted? The are being asked to set goals on how they are going to “help the president”. My boss sets goals for me at work and when I do my self appraisal at the end of each year it’s on those goals set for me…. by my boss, at my work, where I get paid.
This is the White House asking kids (k-6, 5 to 11 year olds?) to create goals on how they can help Obama and then, later on in the year, the teachers are instructed to make students accountable to their goals of helping Obama. (like moonlighting as a census taker as of example of a goal)
and by the way, K-6 graders? I seriously doubt that any 5, 6, 7, or 8 year old even knows who Obama is, especially if they are in public school.
Kind of reminds me of this…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2naSzb1psU&feature=related
I know of an area school that received several (yes, several) parent phone calls about not wanting their children to be “brainwashed” by the president. I’m sure there are many more parents calling about this in the area, as SOME have been encouraging parents to do so. Unbelievable…
As a staff member in public schools, I can attest to the fact that former Presidents have taken part in education initiatives to encourage all sorts of positive character, academic, or wellness goals.
For Example:
President’s Council on Youth Fitness – established in 1955 by President Eisenhower
Presidential Physical Fitness Award – created in 1966 by President Johnson, and still used nationwide in school physical fitness programs
Presidential Academic Fitness Award/Excellence in Academics Award – created in 1983 by President Reagan, and still used nationwide to encourage and reward academic achievement
Additionally, I think it is a regular practice for sitting presidents to directly address school children and talk about school issues, as well as current events. Here is some of the transcript from a speech President George W. Bush gave to students at Marshall ES in DC(October 25, 2001):
“I think the best way to attack — to handle the attacks of September 11 is to fight fear with friendship, is to fight fear with hope, is to remind people all around the world we have much more in common than people might think, that we share basic values: the importance of family and the importance of faith and the importance of friendship. And you know something, boys and girls all across America can do that job pretty darn well.
And so I’m asking schools all across the country to join up, and I want to thank you for actively recruiting schools. We’ve got St. Patrick Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia is helping. Mount Hall (ph) School in New York City has joined up, as has, of course, Thurgood Marshall here in Washington, D.C.
…But children all across America can do it, as well, can do it through letters and e-mails and pictures and drawings and reaching out to boys and girls.
…And so, we’re going to work hard to encourage other schools, other principals to sign up, other boys and girls to write letters. And one way that people who are interested in participating can do, they can call up on a web site to find out how to participate. And I’d like to give the address of the web site. It is http://www.friendshipthrougheducation.org. And that’s a way for other principals and parents and concerned citizens to participate in this outreach.
Rod Paige mentioned the fact that we’ve got a — we’ve asked boys and girls all across America to contribute $1 to help feed and provide medicine for Afghan children who are suffering. The response has been great. And I can’t thank the boys and girls of America enough. That’s one initiative.”
Long post, I know, I’m sorry! My point is that much as I disliked Bush, I would never doubt that he was trying to encourage something positive in the children he addressed. He wanted to get them to help him help the country, right? I think this what is meant in the wording “help the President” that seems to be causing all this controversy.
I think it’s crazy for anyone to suspect some sort of sneaky agenda. It’s a little more groundbreaking, sure, because it shows greater outreach to schools and children (BTW, other lesson plans have been available from the Dept of Ed during other presidencies). I absolutely cannot imagine that parents would not want their child to hear the President encouraging students to brainstorm, set their own goals, and perform community service. What, do these people believe that only SOCIALISTS think critically, develop their goal-setting skills, and help the world??
Why is it OK for the President to address public and private schools individually, but an outrage for him to address all students at once? I really, really don’t get it…
@hello
Ah yes, the Obama Youth. Imagine if that was done for a Republican.
Ronald Reagan also started the Presidential Academic fitness program still being used by schools today. It encourages high academic standards and is modeled after the presidential physical fitness award program started by Lyndon Johnson.
Hello, there are plenty of jobs out there where the employee sets their own goals within suggested areas. Kids are asked to set goals and objectives every day in school. It is hardly news.
Is there medicine for paranoia?
“I know of an area school that received several (yes, several) parent phone calls about not wanting their children to be “brainwashed” by the president. I’m sure there are many more parents calling about this in the area, as SOME have been encouraging parents to do so.”
It’s kind of sad that we’ve come to this, but Obama himself is partially to blame.
DiversityGal, you gave a ton of examples, however, I didn’t see any where a president asked k-6 graders to set goals to help HIM and then they are to be held accountable at a later date on how much they helped HIM. Not their school, not if they did better in math or English, not their neighborhood, not even their country…. they are to be held accountable on how much they helped Obama.
Moon, you still don’t get it… kids setting goals they are to be held accountable for with their grades, reading, arithmetic = a great idea. Are you deliberately ignoring the fact that they are asking, and I quote:
“Write letters to themselves about what they can do to HELP THE PRESIDENT. These would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals.”
Me thinks your deliberate ignoring this fact or in your mind when it says “HELP THE PRESIDENT” you seem to think that “PRESIDENT” means something other than Obama. Does “PRESIDENT”, aka Obama, mean reading? Does “PRESIDENT”, aka Obama mean writing? Does “PRESIDENT”, aka Omaba mean counting to 10? What does “HELP THE PRESIDENT” mean to you? Am I not getting something here?
How so?
I agree that it is sad. I see nothing wrong or political with a back to school message that says be all you can be.
I can think of very few school children who wouldn’t recognize the President of the United States.
by the way, how is this going to work “teacher to make students accountable to their goals”… how? Are they going to be punished in some way if they didn’t help THE PRESIDENT enough? How exactly is the teacher of a 5 year old kindergarten student (or 6, 7, 8… year old) going to hold them accountable on if they met their goals of helping the PRESIDENT?
If 5 year old Johnny didn’t do his I heart Obama finger painting is he going to be put in time out? If 10 year old Kate didn’t do her census duties does she get detention?
Student goals! Did you read the objectives?
They are a canned lesson plan provided by the ED dept. Most all education shows provide them. History Channel, some on C-span, National Geographic, even Numb3ers has them.
There are a variety of suggested activities. No one has to do any of them.
This truly is getting absurd and is showing me where much of the discontent in this country is coming from.
No Hello, YOU don’t get it.
School counselors do very similar goal setting lessons for kids. They teach elementary school students the goal-setting process, which includes brainstorming, establishing a specific measurable goal, how you will measure it, the steps you will take to achieve the goal, and an eventual evaluation and reward (here is where a lesson on intrinsic motivation comes in).
They, as well as teachers, sometimes collect said goals for academics, character, or many other kid-driven topics, and ask the students to review them and establish their progress later. I encourage you to research the Baldrige in Education movement that has been present in education for quite awhile (many PWC schools are involved); students constantly monitor their own progress toward all different types of goals, improving ownership of their learning and behavior.
When children are asked to help the President, I do not interpret this as nefarious. They are being asked to help the President HELP THE COUNTRY. Are you at all open to the idea that this is what was meant? The lessons are intended as extension, discussion, and are OPTIONAL. Accountablity doesn’t mean anything other than the fact that kids will be checking to see if they met the goals they set for themselves. This happens regularly already in schools, for crying out loud!
A lot of schools do community service. I know of teachers that have class meetings to get student input on what they can do to help their school and community. They then set a group goal, plan it out, enact the plan, and check in occasionally to evaluate progress. Accountability in this case might be a weekly graph to see how many cans were collected for Operation Turkey. It could be another class meeting to see how the class is doing on their goal of less tattling. Oooo…what an evil agenda…
Kids can help the president by helping the school or doing community service, get it? No fuss necessary…
Gee, maybe Obama could suggest reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. It didn’t harm anyone I grew up with!
The Pledge of Allegiance is done daily in all Prince William County Schools as per School Board regulation. There is a minute of silence as per State Law following the pledge. President Obama is coming on at noon. The pledge happened hours ago.
Diversity, how about those toys for tots and Joufnal Messenger Christmas baskets? I believe the IB program requires community service. I could be wrong on that one. Since when is community service a bad thing?
IB middle schoolers are required to do 30 hours of community service, and I am sure someone checks in with them. They have to show documentation. I am not sure of the number of hours required by the high school program.
It would take forever to list all of the community service initiatives either promoted by Prince William County administration, done in partnership with community agencies, or created by students themselves. All of these are ways of kids helping the President help the country, and I know they will think it’s cool that their President recognizes and encourages their efforts.
It sure is a shame that some are determined to demonize this effort.
Hey Hello –
Don’t try to have a conversation with MH. It’s useless. You’ll talk till your blue in the face and she’ll bypass anything you say….it’s a one way conversation. Just thought I’d give you a “heads-up”….
BTW – I am in total agreement with all of your comments.
Boo Hoo, I really don’t see why you are here since you think you know all the answers and also know that we aren’t going to let your nonsense go unchallenged. It seems like a huge waste of your time.
It does not surprise me that you would agree with fabrications, spin, and distortions to advance the ‘I hate Obama campaign.’ However, one of the rules here is that you must stick to issues and not conduct personal attacks.
I feel I am right back at that old scorpion fox story someone told the other day. The scorpion stung the fox, even though the scorpion fell into the water and drowned. It was just his nature, even knowing the outcome. It’s just what scorpions do.
Lets listen to what he has to say before we all decide that we do not like what he is saying.
That is the problem with the town halls, a person gets up and shouts down all around them, and nobody is listening. Never mind the spin that gets put onto everything.
boo hoo,
Seems a little obsessive to be hysterical over a visit by a sitting president. M-H is making valid and non emotional points. Diversity Gal is also adding some extensive reference to the curriculum at schools. Geez, I just don’t get it. Talk about making a mountain out of a freakin’ mole hill! You chose to insult while Moon-Howler has simply been debating.
Megyn Kelly is on tv as we speak LYING about the ‘assignments.’ She is saying the that the White House is backing off its assignments, in particular the one about ‘helping the president.’ Oh good grief!
It was an OPTIONAL suggested work packet and did not involve a worksheet. I am so sick of the lies. I am even sicker of the ignorance. This latest stir represents the most disingenuous politics I have ever seen. This shoiuld not even be an issue. The president of the United States, regardless of who he or she is, should be able to tell the school children to study hard and do their homework, listen to their teachers, be all they can be, without it turning political. Those are good values.
@ MH
Over 50% of the county do not approve of how he’s running the country. Maybe he should try harder.
I just heard he was at 50% approval rating 5 minutes ago. That sounds like about half to me.
The hate mongering and politics started even before he was inaugurated. I am impressed that he has held on to 50% just listening to the television and looking at the blogs.
I suppose that the contention causes happiness for some people who enjoy it. I find it sad and depressing. I would prefer to kick back afer an election, let the person who won lead, then do it all over again in 4 years. Apparently that is not to be.
Two other polls have him in the low 40’s. Rasmussen and Zogby.
Keep the faith, maybe someone will come up with something to impeach him over. It worked with Clinton.
Clinton left with the highest approval rating ever.
You, and others here, would do yourself a favor if you could accept the fact that alot of normal people (not just “right wing extremists”) have legitimate beef with Obama. The news media skims the turbulence off the underlying current because it’s good for business. You’re focusing on the turbulence. You’re not seeing the forest for the trees. Or maybe you are, but it’s easier to focus on the trees.
And Mando, if people who have concerns articulated said concerns in normal dialogue rather than along side the right wing extremists, we might get somewhere as a nation.
For example, this ridiculous hysteria over the back to school pep talk is just that: Hysteria. How can logical people think that this is some sort of inflitration of the mind?
Obama is president now. Unless I am going to make myself perfectly miserable, I should accpet it and move on and try to do my small part to make things better, rather than always throwing up road blocks. I he perfect? Of course not. Is he Satan? Far from it.
I disliked the code pink women. They were out of line and had bad behavior. However, there weren’t that many of them. I dislike their conservative counterparts just as bad.
“For example, this ridiculous hysteria over the back to school pep talk is just that: Hysteria. How can logical people think that this is some sort of inflitration of the mind?”
Logical people don’t. But logical people can have issue with politicizing the classroom. Logical people can mistrust politicians. You CHOOSE to focus on the illogical.
Logical people don’t assume the classroom is going to be politicized. I sure didn’t think that is when George Bush was there for when he was reading the little goat story to the children in 9-11. I assumed he was there to encourage reading. Same with Laura Bush. Why should Obama be different? Seems like Mrs. Obama has been reading to school kids all over the place. Was she politicizing?
I would be much more concerned over some overly zealous, idealogical teacher proselytizing than I would a 15 minute pep talk from the president of the United States. Actually the time one of my kids was gotten by an idealogue, it was a volunteer at the school. Yes, I complained.
This just in from PWCS.edu:
http://209.197.225.20/absolutenewsmanager/templates/?a=2049&z=11
I’m beyond shocked. I cannot believe Supt. Walts caved into the right wing on this issue. It’s a sad, sorry state of affairs when our schools cannot set aside five minutes in the school day for our children to hear the President of the United States wish them a successful school year. Unbelievable. Funny how the PWCS school board has no problem pumping in their Back-to-School video messages at ever single Back-to-School Night in the County. That, they can mandate, but not five minutes for the President to address children. That’s “completely optional.” I remember when my entire school went to the cafeteria to watch a moon landing, or my own child watched an anti-drug speech from Geo. H. W. Bush at his PWCS elementary school.
And here we are, afraid to let our children hear from the President. My child’s second grade teacher had a photo of Geo. W. Bush hanging in her classroom. I never liked the guy, but he was the President and who was I to tell the teacher to take the photo down? The idea never occurred to me! I wonder how many PWCS teachers will be asked to remove photos of President Obama from their classrooms this year because a small, vocal group of parents cannot accept that he is the President?
This is crazy stuff, people!
Casual Observer, I understand what you mean. I sure hope that teachers are not too scared off to show the address. This whole “backlash” thing is so ridiculous and unfair, I can scarcely believe it. It tires me and concerns me that THIS is what parents take the time to call schools and school boards about. At this point, President Obama could smile at a child, and some would accuse him of trying to indoctrinate children with his socialist attitudes. I have frankly had enough of this crapola!!
Whew! Sorry, I lost my head for a moment:)
I agree, Casual Observer. That was a pretty chicken crap response. What Walts effectly did was place the burden of responsibility squarely on the poor classroom teacher.
I hope every teacher participates in the webcast. I thought it was going to be on regular TV. The home school kids should have access also.
Since when is the president of the United States a taboo subject?
On the other hand, I expect Walts would rather take that stand than deal with the paranoia that has been generated by President Obama addressing the nations kids. I have never seen such ridiculous hysteria over anything…never. And people who know better are still stirring it up. Laura Inghram was substituting for O’Reilly tonight. She was just pumping it up. I am beginning to wonder if these people can read. Apparently not.
Thank you for posting Dr. Walts C.S. remarks. bok bok bok.