I’d been hearing things about the “little talk” that was supposed to be given, I just didn’t know when it was coming. I think my daughter might have an illness incubating right now. Should show up on Tuesday.

Because of a large amount of controversy, our school district has decided not to show the speech but has told us that it will be broadcasted on CSPAN and the Whitehouse website so parents can watch it with their children and maybe have a discussion about it.

I obviously don’t totally agree with this post, but I also absolutely think that it should be a voluntary basis, like anything watched in school. That said, I wasn’t a fan of the last guy, but I would’ve let my students watch this and turned into a discussion, which is what I hope will happen in schools. I hope that children will be given a voice to express whether they agree or disagree and why, just like I let my students do when we watch inaugurations (I’ve only been teaching for the last two, though ;p).

Hi – new reader (found your blog from a link to your water safety posts)

I realize that we all differ politically and that is great — part of what our country is founded upon. I guess I don’t understand why the mere addressing of students from our President has to be looked at so negatively. I didn’t love our previous President, but I wouldn’t have had any concerns about my children merely watching him speak.

He was our President and I respected that.

Is the concern that he will spew liberal ideals and have the children coming home and asking their parents why they don’t support universal healthcare? I highly doubt that will be the case.

I hadn’t heard about this, so I have to admit I don’t know anything more than what you and your link mentioned, but it does dishearten me that we have become so polarized politically that we don’t want our children to even be exposed to a speech by the President of our country.

Thanks — and I enjoy your blog.

You are brave, calling the school and stiring up trouble…..jk.
I just called our school and they had no idea if they were even participating or not??????

Our school and principle are so liberal of course they are showing it, but they will be given the opportunity to opt out. What can I do for the president? I’m sorry, I thought you were here to serve me!!! This is getting ridiculous!

Hey Laura~
Thanks for the kind words about my blog.

In response to your comment – I don’t view it as a “mere addressing of our students.” As I stated in the post, my concerns are more about the suggested “lesson plan” that is supposed to enhance the speech. I’ve studied the questions that teachers are being encouraged to ask and I find them to be leading and disturbing. I don’t feel as though it is a teacher’s place to engage in those types of discussion with impressionable young minds, especially considering that teachers are notoriously a liberal bunch. I don’t fault anybody for their beliefs, even though I can’t always relate. However, this “address” and, more specifically, the accompanying lesson plans, would be better suited for home viewing, where parents can choose whether or not to view and if they so choose, can be on hand to answer questions, offer support or point out differing viewpoints. I just feel like parents have that right/responsibility, not teachers.

I think if the speech content was released beforehand, with a plan from each classroom as to any follow-up discussion, I would be more comfortable with it. Apparently other presidents have done this in the past, but I don’t think it was widely publicized, shown to students. Most of our schools are not showing it, and I’m not sure that is appropriate either. It could be great material for classroom discussion at the high school level. My nerdy poli sci heart likes the potential, but I dislike the reluctance of the White House to release the speech in advance.

I see your point. I was looking at it is a type of “civics lesson” from our Chief Executive and didn’t really read through the notes thoroughly to see the type of questions contained in the lesson plan – so I don’t know how leading the questions are .

I’m an elected official in my small community and I have been asked to speak to school groups during career days and part of what I’ve spoken about relates to elected official roles and how citizens can get involved in their community and/or government.

My first impression is to see this type of things as a positive one. I don’t think we’ve always looked so suspiciously at this type of thing.

What would the response have been if President Kennedy (or Thomas Jefferson or Grover Cleveland)had done this? Would parents have held their children out of classes then?

Hi,
I’m a pretty new reader to your blog & a friend of Becca’s.
Bush Sr. and Reagan also gave similar addresses when they were in office, but now there are TVs & internet access in most classrooms. This idea certainly isn’t original, but would have a greater audience this time around.
The lesson plans that you referred to have been revised, and I haven’t heard any talk at my school or from other teacher friends who intend on using them… From the articles I’ve read, every school should have opt-out activities planned for their students.
I think one way the Obama administration could get around the controversy would be to air this in the evening instead of during the school day…
As a parent I would be comfortable allowing my daughter to watch this address, but as a one-year old, I doubt she’d get much from it. :)

I don’t have any problem with the speech but I do agree that the “lesson plans” are a bit out of place and very leading. Good for you for speaking up about how you feel.

I think it’s interesting that the DOE changed the wording on its lesson plan from “helping the president” to “stay in school and work hard,” saying that it was just poorly worded the first time. Poorly worded, my arse! It was changed in response to the uproar from parents all over the country! I’m encouraged to hear about so many schools opting out of this; unfortunately our school will be showing the speech to the third-fifth graders. Supposedly we will be receiving materials about it today, which is nice of them since they had all the kid sit through the inauguration last January without parental notification because it was “an historic event.” This was after months of my kindergartener coming home with starry-eyed accounts of how wonderful Obama is. School is for learning, not for political propaganda.

My kids will be taking an extended Labor Day vacation that day, although I am sorely tempted to send them to school wearing “No Thanks, I Already Have a Messiah” tee shirts. Tough call…

I think any opportunity for kids in this country to discuss politics and hear from important political leaders (regardless of their party) is fantastic. Why take your child out of school, instead of being well informed about the program, and then have a follow-up discussion with your kids if you think it’s necessary?

Frankly I’m glad we have a president that wants to spark discussion with kids and parents (as have some other past Republican and Democratic presidents — this isn’t new). Maybe it will help encourage people to actually vote and/or get involved more.

Worst case, it sparked some useful on-line debate!

Guess what I spent most of the day yesterday doing? Reading through the “lesson plan” and seeing if my childrens’ school was planning on airing the address. Fortunately, they aren’t.

I do agree with you, Darcie. I have no problem with the president addressing students but the lesson plan was just plain weird (and no, it doesn’t make me feel better that they have since “re-worded” it). Particularly the fact that the lesson plan I read was for PRE-K through sixth grade. PRE-K! It just seems like ages 4 to 10 are a little young to be asking questions like that. I think that’s why it comes across a little like “indoctrination.”

Or, if I spelled it correctly, “indoctrination.” ;)

I agree with you Darcie 100%. I subscribe to your newletter and I forwarded it to my kids in hopes that it will make an impression. My DIL is on the PTA board of the school so hopefully she’ll be on top of it all.
When my daughter was in the 5th grade her teacher started teaching her own political views. I spoke with the teacher about this and she said that MY daughter should be able to listen to her views and my views and decide for herself what she wanted to believe. I went to the district office with this issue and the teacher learned the hard way to keep her personal beliefs to herself.

Hunh. I dunno what I think. Midn if I link to you?

By the way, LOVE your new design.

Oh yeah, and I CAN spell. Sheesh.

[...] Make Way for Our Fearless Leader — Such the Spot.  I’m not sure what I think about this “address” and the subsequent lesson plans.  I’d be interested in your thoughts. [...]

I’ve been meaning to post about this myself. I called my school the other day and they said that it is up to the individual teachers and that our kids can opt-out. I’m thinking of the opt-out.

I’m just really not comfortable about this. My sister is a teacher and has no idea what he is going to say. And supposedly it is going to be an hour. Good luck getting 8 year olds to sit through THAT!

Our district has changed positions and is now going to show the speech. I’m going to watch it so I can know what’s going on.

I absolutely agree that you ought to have the right to exempt your children from being taught things that you find objectionable.

Our County will NOT be doing this. I am 100% in agreement with you, though, that this is indoctrination. What happened to the three R’s???

I am with Bret on this one. I think it is imperative that we get children involved in discussing politics, helping the community, making the most of their education etc. In refusing to let them listen to our President we are not giving them a chance to hear things and think for themselves, rather mimic solely what the parent believes. I don’t think this is to be a one-sided political speech, it is to spark interest in the next generation to be the best they can be.
My 5th grader has been very interested in politics and how it all works, watching speeches and the debates during the election, so even if he does not get the chance to see the speech in school he will most likely watch at home.

First off, I commend you Darcie for your strong beliefs and willingness to stand up for them.
Secondly, I am *not* American and really no nothing about this apart from what I just read here.
However, to me this sounds very much along the lines of JFK’s “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”. I know – another Democrat and bleeding heart socialist -LOL! But still – I think as others have said that it *is* kinda sad that any formal attempt by a political leader to engage and get kids thinking about civic responsibility has to be viewed so negatively. And for the record, my political leanings are also to the right!

The problem I have with the whole thing, and I think most people who are uneasy with it would agree, is that its a slippery slope. We’re putting a whole lot of political power and influence over our children in the hands of a TV screen and a teacher. What questions are lingered on and what questions are skipped might just (maybe???) be influence by the teacher’s political opinion.

No place for that in my son’s classroom.

If the President wants to encourage kids to take their education seriously, great. I have no problem with that. There are tons of kids out there that are at risk and on the fringe and someone as influential as he is, whether I agree with his policies or not, can be a positive thing. But how to separate his positive message from the political one? I don’t know how that’s possible.

Schools should opt out and let the parents view it with their children in the evening.

That’s my 2 cents. Good post, girl.

So the day is done now, and I’m late I know, but I tried to comment on this before and it wouldn’t let me!

I’m frustrated by the seemingly universal misconception that folks just didn’t want their kids to hear the president speak. That’s not the issue – we’re not living in a bubble. This issue was the Dept. of Education documents that said kids needed to list ways Obama inspires them, ways he challenges them, and ways they will help him. That’s not a neutral stance and it’s not a stay in school speech.

Now the end result, after the document revisions, seems fine. But to ignore the original paperwork and pretend like those of us opposed to this are lunatics trying to bury our heads in the sand is at best inaccurate and at worst malicious.

The politicians and the media in this country are entirely too polarized, and they deliberately divide wedges among the vast majority of the population, whose beliefs fall somewhere in the middle of those extremes. This whole debacle is a fine example of that.

Sad.

Bravo Heather. Well said!

I just want to second those who say we don’t live in a bubble. We know, we watch the news, we read…

Thanks Darcie for being active and concerned! That is your right and our rights as parents! :)

Also coming in late to the party, but had to say that I’m so pleased that you chose to take a stand. My son attended school today since his principal chose not to air the speech. I like having the right to be a responsible parent, and I intend to fiercely defend it.