Posted on 09/02/2009 8:01:13 AM PDT by steve0
From Malkin interesting history of Obama and school interaction. http://michellemalkin.com/2009/09/02/i-pledge-to-be-of-service-to-barack-obama/
A school principal has apologized for showing a video at an assembly that a politically conservative group leader is calling “radical, leftist propaganda.”
Children at Eagle Bay Elementary School in Farmington were shown a short video called “I pledge” on Aug. 28. The video opens with an image of President Barack Obama and part of a speech in which he says, “Let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.” The video then features celebrities making pledges about how they will help the president and the world — and that’s where some say the problem lies…
… Gayle Ruzicka, president of conservative Utah Eagle Forum, said the video was blatantly political. She said other offensive pledges included, “I pledge to be of service to Barack Obama,” “I pledge allegiance to the funk, to the united funk of funkadelica,” and pledges to not use plastic grocery bags and not flush the toilet after urinating.
Man, oh, Man. This is a freak show.
Do you have any idea how many apathetic Americans will not see any issue with this type of talk?
Well, folks Our Founders gave us all we need to squelch this crap. Will I stand up against it will you, will we?
Yesirie...
Also to consider:
1. Why does it need to be live if there is nothing political or politically implied in it?
2. What need is there for this and why can’t parent’s just watch it home with their child?
3. Why can’t the text of him obamanation speech be reviewed before it is given, if there is nothing political or politically implied in it?
What I want is no obamanation speech to children or I want him to start giving one at least once a week so the uninitiated will see the evil in this type of thing and maybe even in how the government uses government schools.
Here in Texas we have Independent School Districts, ours is named Keller ISD. It is in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area & overlaps 3 cities.
They said they are making the program available for participation, and each teacher will decide if they want to use the curriculum in their class. Which is CONVENIENT because the kids in the higher level all change classes to you have to address each one.
The school indicated they are working on a parent authorized opt-out program. My husband asked if that would be opting out of just the speech or the teachers curriculum also. They weren’t sure but thought both.
They said they are being innundated with huge numbers of calls and were given a script from the district to read from.
We are also ordering pocket Constitutions and Declaration of Independences for them to take to school & hand out. Our kids were previously in private school and can articulate an argument to questions like “Why is it important to listen to our representatives?”
We will be reviewing how to present the answers in a non-combative but questioning way to get other kids who don’t know, to question as well. Being armed with the documents to back up their statements as well if adults try to tell them they are wrong..
I think this is important as this issue will not be going away, and I’m sure this won’t be the last communication directly to the kids.
Good job.
I just got back from withdrawing my son from Public school. Both he and I agree, it feels GREAT!
Seems that nobody from the school had heard about this little event. Now that they do, they are "looking into it". *sigh*
My son called the school (our grandson is in 10th grade) and the school said they do not have the capabilities to broadcast the address for the entire school and that some history teachers MAY (at their discretion) use the speech for discussion purposes.
We are not in a liberal strong hold here. But it’s always good to be involved!
The word got out.
Thanks
The Dem’s seem to have a talking point out on this, referencing an anti drug speech GHW Bush gave in 1991.
On another forum I wrote:
Background on the national broadcast of the 1991 GHW Bush speech from an eighth-grade classroom at Alice Deal Junior High School ...
The NYT reported: “Democrats assailed the Bush Administration today for spending $26,750 in taxpayer money”
The production was funded from the Education Dept’s salary and expense budget. Rep. Ford, (D, MI) head of the House Education and Labor Committee, demanded that EdSec Lamar Alexander appear before the committee to defend his “spending scarce education dollars to produce a media event.”
Ford threatened to hold up the multibillion-dollar Higher Education Act until he received an explanation.
House majority leader, Gephardt (D, MO) said, “The Department of Education should not be producing paid political advertising for the President.”
Legitimate President GHW Bush spoke about a specific relevant issue of the day. The program was not rushed upon the schools at the time they are the most busy; the schools had time to consider the program.
See http://www.nytimes.com/1991/10/04/us/financing-for-a-bush-speech-is-attacked.html
I do not think it should be discretionary, the policy should be NO. Why? The speech can be videotaped and reviewed first. To allow any teacher to chose to show it live is a dereliction of duty by the teacher and administration because the subject matter is too ill-defined, the timing too rushed to fit into lesson plans, and whole of it stinks of political indoctrination.
Congratulations.
President GHW Bush gave his speech to the assembled schoolchildren of America one month after the first week of school. Oct 1st, 1991. So there was not quite the rush of Obama’s first week of school presumption.
But President GHW Bush’s speech was presumptive. Although it was on a particular subject, such a speech by a President to ALL grades and ALL children in school is never appropriate save for the most dire urgency or emergency. The drug war is neither. The speech was political, yes, although not as much as Obama’s is, given circumstances.
At the time Mr, Bush was overflowing with pride. The shared reason of both such speeches to ALL schoolchildren is that old human failing — hubris.
On September 11th he had given his “New World Order” speech expressing his optimism for a new peaceful way of the world under an expanded role of the UN. That followed the amazingly fast victory in Desert Storm, where he had forged an international coalition.
On October 2nd, the day after that national speech to the schoolchildren, Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton announced he was running for President of the United States.
The old cycle! Hubris meets Nemesis!
As soon as my son related what he was told by the school, I mentioned that some teachers will find a way to work it in.
From what I understand, it’s going to be a webcast, but who says that can’t be downloaded and saved as well.
I’ll know tomorrow what class my grandson will be in at that time..he is in Advanced classes and is also JROTC and knows his American History and the current state of the union!
His BS meter runs just fine.
It’s the younger kids-—
What’s your point?
Update on Keller ISD: Posted on the website
Keller ISD students will have the opportunity to view September 8 Presidential address
All Keller Independent School District students will have the opportunity to view President Barack Obama’s September 8 address to the school children of America.
President Obama announced in late August that he would make a special afternoon address specifically for the country’s student population. The 30-minute address is scheduled for 11 a.m. Central Standard Time, which means it will take place while many KISD students are out of the classroom for lunch.
Each of Keller ISD’s 36 campuses will determine their own plan of action on how their students may view the address, however live video will be made available through the district’s internal Web portal. Following the speech, a recorded version of the speech will be located in the same location for those students and classes that were not able to view it live.
“The district will not relive the ‘off and on again’ inauguration decision,” KISD Board of Trustees President Cindy Lotton said. “All students will have the opportunity to view President Obama’s speech.”
Last spring, Keller ISD administrators initially decided that the Presidential Inauguration would not be shown as it presented an interruption to regular curriculum. However, that decision was later reversed and live and taped viewings of the inauguration were made available to all students.
The district has received feedback from concerned parents who have voiced their disapproval of making the speech available and prefer that their children not view the address.
“We will make the Presidential address available to all our students district-wide,” Keller ISD Superintendent Dr. James Veitenheimer said. “However, parents who prefer that their students not watch the broadcast have the option to notify the campus that their child does not have permission to view the segment.”
Any student not viewing the address will be excused to a determined on-campus location during the speech.
This is thought to be the first time a sitting president has specifically addressed school-aged students in a live speech. The U.S. Department of Education has stated that the President will challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning. He will also call for a shared responsibility and commitment on the part of students, parents and educators to ensure that every child in every school receives the best education possible so they can compete in the global economy for good jobs and live rewarding and productive lives as American citizens.
i.e., detention hall.
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