Oh dear President Obama, the drama you are causing with your little speech on education!
The parents of my school district received YET ANOTHER email from the school administration. This time, they exhibited their moon-walking technique. You know…back talking. Trying to change what they said and what they meant. Well here, you read…
Message from the Superintendent
In response to President Obama addressing all students on Tuesday, September 8, I am very dismayed that the Detroit Free Press misconstrued the District’s position. In a Detroit Free Press story on September 4, 2009, the Free Press reported that Farmington Public Schools is encouraging parents to pull students from class if they are uncomfortable with their child(ren) hearing the President’s speech.
I want to assure you that is not what we sent out on our list serv nor posted on the District’s web site. It is also important to note that the Detroit Free Press did not contact the District to comment on President Obama’s speech.
In fact, the District’s sentiment is quite the opposite. However, in order to support our schools, we felt it necessary to let parents know their options. We were hoping to alleviate additional calls to schools’ main offices as the first day of school is quite busy already.
I have personally reviewed the President’s speech and believe it is entirely appropriate for all our students to view, and thus, I am recommending that our teachers show it during the first week of school. The President’s speech may be read on the home page at www.whitehouse.gov. The District strongly supports President Obama’s message of the importance of education, working hard and taking responsibility for learning. These are the same messages that our students are hearing from every adult in their lives from parents, teachers, principals, school board members, and civic leaders. We want all our students to recognize the importance of getting an education and being given (and take advantage of) every opportunity to learn.
We thank you for your support and best wishes for a wonderful school year ahead.
Sincerely-
Superintendent S Z
If you’ve read the post I wrote a couple of days ago with the original and uneducated sounding letter from the outstanding school district my children are in, along with my rant, you’ll know what they said is EXACTLY what they meant, despite the elementary school level it was written…by someone NOT smarter than a 5th grader. Which was exactly this, if you don’t want your kids to hear the PRESIDENT of our great country speaking about something an important as our children and their education in an extremely innocuous speech, then by all means, disrespect your country and come and take your kids out of school. Oh and, some of the teachers might not even let the speech be heard in their classrooms and THAT is fine by us, the school district. Because we, the school district, laugh in the face of our government. Because we, the school district, regardless of our political views, have no respect for our country and its President. And we think it’s so cool that you, the parents, don’t either. *fist bump*
Yeah, that’s essentially what that email said.
WTF…now they are trying to hum and haw their way out of what they said because our big newspaper got wind of the original letter and found it to be as disgusting as I did!?!
You can NOT do take backs.
Puh-lease!
Some of you may think that Obama is trying to reorganize the Nazi Youth. Some of you may think that President Obama has ulterior motives behind everything he does.
I’m not going there. I’m not politically educated. I know what I see and yes, it’s a bit scary.
But geez…did you read the speech?
Because if you parents took the time to educate YOURSELVES. You would KNOW that the President isn’t trying to brainwash our students. Not yet and not in this way at least. *wink*
Seriously. *eye roll*
I’m ashamed of my school district. And really, all the school districts that are not backing Obama in his speech to our children.
SHAME ON ALL OF THEM.
Well, at least we know one school that won’t miss the speech at noon. The private school President Obamas daughters attend.
The fact that people wouldn’t want the Pres of the United States talk to our children about the importance of education, boggles my mind!!! Any person telling my kid that eduction is a good thing gets props in my book. Because the bottom line is EDUCATION IS A GOOD THING!
I did find out about a few people in my own town that have complained to the school and their kids are being given an alternate activity during the speech. Ugh. I have no words.
My sister has a blog. She says she raised hell with her local school district and along with others cowed them into banning the President’s speech from district classrooms. Following is an exact copy of her blog post regarding this matter. I hesitate to be cynical and suggest this is the sort of discourse practiced by those on the right but unfortunately it often is:
National Indoctrination Day is next Tuesday, September 8th. Most of us have renamed it “National Keep Your Kids Home From School Day“.
My children will not be attending if our district is participating in this indoctrination experiment. I have already contacted the school board and the principals and they are trying to find out if our schools will be showing this hot air next week. If they are, the principal has assured me they will have an alternate for my kids – however, I wonder what that will be? Sitting in a hallway? Perhaps being beaten out back because they don’t support the Otard? If it ’s anything like what happened pre-election, that wouldn’t surprise me.
http://michellemalkin.com/2009/09/01/obamas-sept-8-speech-to-schoolchildren/
Think it’s a joke? Look at the official paperwork sent to the teachers. Moms and dads, you MUST protect your children at all costs!!
Anyone remember reading about Hitler in your history classes? Yeah. This makes my stomach churn.
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Otard? Hitler? Schools beating children for declining to view the speech? This is rational, reasoned discourse? I fear the mental health and stability of my sister and many like her can be reqsonably questioned. Take this line from an e-mail of hers sent to many on a large distribution list:
“If they can kill babies, who wouldn’t they kill? Their only restraint is their squeamishness, which they overcome with bogus euphemisms (CHOICE!) and by yelling inane bumper sticker slogans (SAFE LEGAL AND RARE!) loudly enough to drown out thought. Once you turn against God, conscience isn’t a factor.
Anyone who still supports this maggot president should be shot. No questions asked.”
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Advocating mass murder of Obama supporters? This is what President Obama is up against in trying to claw this nation back from the brink of several disasters. I don’t envy him.
What really scares me is these extreme people who would protest something like this while inventing these Hitler comparisons. These are the same people who incite fear by saying he is a Muslim terrorist. Now, it’s no secret that I am a supporter of Obama. I worked the campaign last summer and fall, but I’d like to think that no matter what side I’m on, I would support our President, especially when what he wants to do is encourage youth to work hard and stay in school. I see no ulterior motive in it…and I’m all about conspiracy theories. I’m not convinced about the moon walk, I think Paul is dead, but I really beleive that Obama is not attempting to harm our youth by trying to reach them. Honestly, I cannot understand why anyone would think this.
‘Look at the official paperwork sent to the teachers.’ this was optional preparatory materials from the dept of ed (written by teachers for teachers). and there was something not worded correctly that left it open to misinterpretation (obviously, cos some ppl read into it what they wanted) asking children to write letter to themselves about what they can do to help the president (which, btw, sr. pres bush had said something of a similar nature in his education speech). it was changed to write a letter to themselves about their short-term and long-term goals with their education.
re: steve-i’m just sorry his sister hasn’t or won’t take the time to research things thoroughly and that it’s funny she likens obama to hitler when she is the one that wants all obama supporters shot. it’s just all very sad. 🙁
ciara, a few minutes spent with Google and Snopes and pretty much 99% of whatever oozes from Sis’ blog is rendered misinformed, fraudulent or lacking in any rational integrity whatsoever. Kinda like watching Fox News. I agree with you those worried about the indoctrination of small children would be better served wondering the effect of a parent spouting off about Hitler and mass murder than obsessing over Obama’s address. I have little doubt my nephews and nieces will enter the adult world proselytizing for all to hear the evils of “Democratic” internment camps, plots involving eugenics and euthanasia, and the marauding brown horde of illegal aliens and godless Muslims on the verge of destroying the nation. Cue rolling of the eyes and wondering who in the hell raised these poor children? Answer: My sister.
Unfortunately politics showcases a lot of idiots, on both sides of the spectrum.
Maybe they should all be shot? *wink*
I was all prepared for my children grades 6,9 and 10th to come home from school and for us to discuss what the President had to say…wanna know something? It wasn’t shown in ANY of our schools and we have over 30 different public schools in our local town-i am more upset they were not even given the option to watch it!
Speechless in oklahoma I am….