Barack Obama's Education Speech

Parents Try to Stop Obama's Speech From Airing in Schools

September 4, 2009

Do we send our children to school to learn or monitor what they learn? Parents throughout the country are objecting to many public schools' decisions to broadcast President Obama's speech next week. The Commander-in-Chief's address which will be made directly to students at a high school in Virginia, is scheduled to be streamed live on the White House website. Many schools across the nation also plan to air it in their classrooms.

According to the White House, the speech will emphasize "the importance of education and hard work in school, both to the individual and to the nation." But groups of parents, including some in Texas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, South Carolina, and Utah, are accusing the government, and their school districts, of forcing the Democrats' agenda on their children by not reviewing the speech prior to presenting it. Do you think these parents are overreacting?

Source: Getty

19 Comments

snarkypants 3 years 37 weeks

what's wrong with the "how would you help the president" activity? pretty sure we did stuff like that when i was in elementary school.

PinkNC 3 years 37 weeks

Right on #17 Those parents are paranoid and need mental help. Get over it.

3 years 37 weeks

The far right is just being paranoid. Nobody is trying to indoctrinate your child. Nobody is pushing politics. And besides that, if you want to raise strong, independent thinkers you will need to allow them to see and hear things you may or may not agree with.

3 years 37 weeks

as a parent you are allowed to raise your child as you see fit. GET OVER IT.

kmckay 3 years 37 weeks

I teach 2nd grade and even at that young of an age, I had kids coming into school spewing hatred for Obama during the elections. They would come in ranting with things I'm sure they overheard their parents saying. When he was inaugurated, my principal allowed us to show parts to our classes. Some kids parents told them to leave the room and not watch! Talk about teaching disrespect.. 1st they're disrespecting the leader of our country and they're also disrespecting school leaders! I don't teach my beliefs... I teach about government and history. Geez parents.. your kids are our country's future!!

kurniakasih 3 years 37 weeks

George Bush Sr was criticized harshly by the democrats for doing this, am I right? So the WH should expect the same criticism from the opposition. It is politics as usual. The problem is: I've read their original 'letter' (or draft) where they sent the school to prepare on what to discuss with the children (Activity after watching), about how they can help President Obama, and what to write to the President about how they can help him. Wait, help him... do what? I thought it's about staying in school? Or to learn? Of course they've revised that draft due to parents complaining, calling the original draft to be 'inartful.' Now it's all about 'educational' goal. On how the student can attain their goal....alrighty... I'll be honest, I'm suspicious with ANY presidents (be it GWB or Obama or whoever) trying to give a special speech where I won't be around to monitor. How about do it in the early evening time so my son and I can watch together and discuss it together? Or if it's about education, they do this tidbits where they have a minute or two special ad saying, stay in school, do your homework, etc. How long is this speech. And yeah.. from pre-K, correct? My son is going to be in pre-K, I doubt that the little boy will understand at all what Obama's saying LOL. His teachers, under the guideline from the W.H. will have to teach him on whatever the speech is, and it just feels uncomfortable for me. I don't want to expose him just yet to any politics or how to help the government, he just knows that our president's name is Obama, and that's about it. Thankfully, I heard not every school needs to do it, or that people can actually opt out (from what I've heard, I may be wrong on this one). I grew up in a country that does the same thing on a consistent basis--without any options to opt out--, in fact, we have classes that are the deciding factors if we actually graduate school or not (these classes are about helping the government, and how wonderful our government is, and all about our awesome president :)--being sarcastic, btw) and I thought it was 'normal,' until I got here. :) It was never called propaganda, of course. Or never was called indoctrination of course. They'd like to call it our government was being positive encouragement for the students to be good students. Oh, I also find out that much later that US actually classified our government from dictatorship to authoritarian. So I'm probably paranoid. But just don't like the idea of anyone pushing any politics to my 4 yrs old.

Abilew 3 years 37 weeks

If I'm wrong here, please correct me, but I don't think it's politics the President is pushing. Since when did encouraching kids to succeed become a political issue? I'm embarrassed for the folks that honestly think he's going to go on T.V. and tell their kids to vote democratic, or have abortions, or support healthcare reform, or donate their piggy bank funds to a government bailout. Honestly? I think they're worried their kids will like what they see.

POPSUGAR Moms 3 years 37 weeks

I think these parents are ridiculous! Current events have long been taught in school and the speech is a timely address that teachers and students can discuss.

3 years 37 weeks

The problem is with all the "additional materials" that were sent to schools - made the whole thing seem a bit more involved than the typical Presidential speech for kids. Not to mention, the questions were awkward.

Chrstne 3 years 37 weeks

They are definitely over-reacting. The president is not pushing some kind of political viewpoint on these kids, but basically telling them that they should go get an education so we don't have more idiots roaming our country, and then having those same idiots run our country when they get older. Preach on, Mr. President.

snarkypants 3 years 37 weeks

very nicely put, anon #5

POPSUGAR Beauty 3 years 37 weeks

I don't understand what the big deal is. The White House is releasing the speech on Monday, so it's not like it'll be filled with propaganda. I like the idea of kids hearing the "go study" message from the President, no matter who he (or she) might be.

3 years 37 weeks

By telling your kids they aren't going to school to listen to the President speech is telling them they don't have to respect anyone in a leadership position. Great Parenting!

cheersdarlin916 3 years 37 weeks

I don't see what the big problem is. If my son is anything like I was in school the minute the lights are dimmed and the speech starts I would immediately start to daydream and not even listen to the speech. I am not saying all kids will do that but lets be realistic here....Not too many of the kids will be paying attention unless they will be having a quiz on it.

3 years 37 weeks

When I was a child, I was taught to have respect for the President, no matter which political side he was on. Let's face it, he is in charge of the entire nation, and that does lend itself to a certain degree of respect. We had pictures of the current President in my grade school - a Republican, Ronald Reagan, even though my neck of the woods was mostly Democrat. I think children should get to hear the President speak, no matter which political party he belongs to. I would've said my daughter last year could've watched a speech by George W. Bush, of whom I'm not a fan, and this year she can watch one by Barack Obama. And in later years, she can view speeches by whomever is President at that time, whether I voted for him or her, or not. If anything as well, I think dissenters should welcome this too as a way to open up discussion in their home - as the child listens to the speech at school, he or she will bring home the information gleaned from it, and the parents can then have their say on what they think of what was said. Perhaps they are fearful their children will disagree - and maybe THAT is where the real fear lies.

Zivanod 3 years 37 weeks

Yes they are overreacting. If this is such a big deal to these parents, then let the children watch the speech and then they can have an open discussion about it.

CaterpillarGirl 3 years 37 weeks

No they arent over reacting, I dont agree with ANY president pushing their politics on children.

babysugar 3 years 37 weeks

I think it's completely ridiculous that parents would pull their kids out of school for this. I applaud his efforts to cheer students on just like George Bush Sr. did so many years ago.

bsobos1123 3 years 37 weeks

Um yes they are over-reacting, what exactly do they think he is going to say? He is a very intelligent, well-educated, articulate man and I think children will benefit greatly from hearing what he has to say about education. There shouldn't be any dispute... red or blue education is always important.

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