Posted on 09/03/2009 9:03:00 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
As we approach Labor Day weekend, the traditional close of summer in America, there is a movement, not just in Georgia, but across America, to add one more day of vacation. At least where school children are concerned.
If you are not aware by now, then you should know that President Barack Obama is planning a speech aimed at our nation’s school children and set to air during the school day.
Now there is nothing new about this. As White House deputy policy director Heather Higginbottom pointed out in an interview for the Associated Press, President George H. W. Bush did a similar address in 1991 that was aimed at students and broadcast by CNN. The theme of the Bush speech was to encourage students to study harder. She also notes that Democrats complained then, accusing the President of making a campaign commercial.
However, what may be the most striking difference, besides the fact that Bush did it three years into his presidency while Obama is doing it nine months in, is that the Obama speech comes complete with action lesson plan on how the student can help the President.
In the face of the criticisim, the White House has quickly changed their initial plans.
The White House revised the plans Wednesday to say students could “write letters to themselves about how they can achieve their short-term and long-term education goals.”
“That was inartfully worded, and we corrected it,” Higginbottom said.
In Georgia, emails have gone around, mainly from grassroots activists, encouraging their fellow parents to keep their children out of school on Tuesday as a protest.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution talked to DeKalb GOP Chairman Frank Auman about the upcoming speech for their article.
The timing of the speech also raises concerns, according to Frank Auman, Chairman of the DeKalb County Republican Party. Though students in Georgia have been in school for weeks now, Tuesday is the first day of school for many students across the country. And a debate on health care reform has communities divided.
“The concern, as far as I can tell, is that rather than being about civics and the presidency, it’s about issues and President Obama,” Auman said.
In Georgia, it is up to the individual school systems to make the decision on whether or not to show the speech. The ones that do will allow students to opt out.
In Cobb, Fulton and Cherokee counties, parents have the option of signing a form to exempt their child from watching the speech, if a particular school is planning to view it. Students will not be penalized for choosing not to listen to Obama’s message, school system officials say.
In Forsyth County, the speech will not be shown at all, but teachers can download it to incorporate it into their lesson plans later.
Did you hear what I heard about Kelly Clarkson and someone else “helping” with the speech to school kids? I can’t remember who else they said but it was announced on our local radio news here ~ right after they said that ‘Republican parents’ were calling and writing the school superintendent to complain. Pretty big jump there, assuming everyone that complained was Republican.
Keep your kids HOME if they may be subjected to this terrorist.
Must be the same “Republicans” that were “shills” for “Big Pharma,” the “sleazy” doctors, and the health insurance “fatcats” at the congressional townhalls.
My child’s school district is on Strike, with the earliest possible start date of next Wednesday, if they come to an agreement. I never thought I would say this, but I am glad they are on Strike.
kids should not be on school that day
What time of day? During school hours? Were lesson plans included if during school hours? Were government agencies involved in trying to coax schools into requiring students to watch the speech?
Parents should keep every kid home from school on the 8th and spend the day teaching them the Constitution, something they will never get in todays public schools!
It is just gobsmackingly insane that the President of the United States (the President!!) has put all us parents and all the school districts in the U.S. in this awkward position.
Did any of us think we’d live to see such a time as this?
I applaude y’alls moxie!
Well they did so the day of the Million Man March...
Whats the diff this time ?????
Eh ???
He won’t call it off. He will try to convince us, it’s all good....
I wouldn’t put much into worrying what Obama can do with a ten minute speech. Worry about whats being done in the other 179 days of the school year. Thats when any real damage can be done.
LOL........we are already his robots. can’t do better than taking the whole state.
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