86 replies to this topic

[brvheart]

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/10582301/Presi...eptember-8-2009

Look at these questions that they will be asking every student in America prior to the speech....

[LongLiveYorke]

Sorry, but I don't get it...

I have a few ideas where you're trying to go with this, but I'm not sure exactly.

[El Guapo]

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/10582301/Presi...eptember-8-2009

Look at these questions that they will be asking every student in America prior to the speech....

Looks like an exercise in redundancy.

[Pot Odds RAC]

Yeah.

I don't get it.

I think my feelings are well known around here about this President, but are we really to the point where we criticize him for making a speech to the children of this country. The President is supposed to be admired by the Children. Aren't school kids supposed to aspire to the highest goals including one day to be President? To imply he is trying to brainwash the children is a little extreme. Where was Bush on 9/11 when the planes were flying into the WTC?

I remember in school watching important Presidential speeches and other World events like shuttle launches and landings. That was part of learning about the World.

It is his pulpit and he gets to speak from it. If the Conservatives want to get their message out then freaking get a message and do it - but don't just knee-jerk blast the other guy when he is doing so – isn’t that what we were felt the Liberals were doing to Bush?

I am VERY Conservative, but I am getting tired of people trying to make a negative politicized connection to EVERYTHING the President does.

This isn't helping.

[Naked_Cowboy]

kids can't and shouldn't be expected to understand the policy decisions made at the highest levels of government. the office of the president is still something to be respected, even if you find the man deplorable.

there's nothing wrong with this as long as he's just planning to give an elementary school level inspiring speech about helping your community.

if he starts talking about the public option or something then maybe we have a problem.

[85suited]

kids are expected to chant "yes we can" and "health care now" so they can grow up to be future sheeple

[brvheart]

Sorry, but I don't get it...

I have a few ideas where you're trying to go with this, but I'm not sure exactly.

I'm a libertarian. I don't think that anyone in elected office should have their opinions be trusted as correct just because they were elected.

When you tell a child, "Why is it important that we listen to XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX", are the children thinking, "I should listen respectfully and then make a decision about what they said"... or are the kids thinking "listen = believe".

I have no problem at all with Obama giving a speech to all the kids of America... I have a problem with this particular question and what he will say in the speech. If he keeps it strictly inspirational I'll be fine with it. I would have the exact same objections if Bush was in the White House. (of course the questions written for the teachers by the NEA or ed.gov would have been changed slighty...)

[Nimue1995]

I'm sorry but at the elementary school age, parents have a great deal more to do with shaping children's world views than the President or the teachers to regardless of how pretty a speech they make or what exercises they do in school. To believe that somehow doing a educational exercise related to a Presidential speech is somehow going to radically change a child's viewpoint is bordering on the ridiculous. Com'on people, think about it. Do you even remember any Presidential speeches you heard in elementary school? Do you actually even remember any of the questions your teachers asked afterward? Only thing I remember particularly about the President when I was in grade school was when President Kennedy was shot. And that wasn't a speech.

[brvheart]

I'm sorry but at the elementary school age, parents have a great deal more to do with shaping children's world views than the President or the teachers to regardless of how pretty a speech they make or what exercises they do in school. To believe that somehow doing a educational exercise related to a Presidential speech is somehow going to radically change a child's viewpoint is bordering on the ridiculous. Com'on people, think about it. Do you even remember any Presidential speeches you heard in elementary school? Do you actually even remember any of the questions your teachers asked afterward? Only thing I remember particularly about the President when I was in grade school was when President Kennedy was shot. And that wasn't a speech.

I really dislike this general attitude that many people have. "Because your kids might not remember, it doesn't matter at all"...

It matters to tell kids that everything that anyone in government tells them is the truth. (they even went all the way down to mayor on that one)

Again, I have no problem with a strictly educational speech, given as inspiration.

[Nimue1995]

I really dislike this general attitude that many people have. "Because your kids might not remember, it doesn't matter at all"...

It matters to tell kids that everything that anyone in government tells them is the truth. (they even went all the way down to mayor on that one)

Again, I have no problem with a strictly educational speech, given as inspiration.

Not exactly what I was trying to say though in some respects yeah I guess. What I was trying to say was at the elementary age level, parents have a great deal more influence than Presidents or teachers.
When I first became a Christian, there was a group in one of the churches in the area that went around looking for EVERY nitpicking thing they could find that could possibly be construed as evil particularly in the schools. There was never any innocent activity that they didn't find some way to twist into something that was subverting Christianity. I got sick of it and of them. So what I'm saying is to pick your battles to make sure they're actually meaningful and important enough to get into. Some stuff just isn't and I put this in that catagory.

[Mercury69]

Seeing as the contents o the speech are yet unknown, it's kind of hard to say what the kids will get from it. I do, howver, agree with questioning the phraseology of the document in the link. It could be construed as leading.

[LongLiveYorke]

I'm a libertarian. I don't think that anyone in elected office should have their opinions be trusted as correct just because they were elected.

When you tell a child, "Why is it important that we listen to XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX", are the children thinking, "I should listen respectfully and then make a decision about what they said"... or are the kids thinking "listen = believe".

Look, I understand the whole idea of not brainwashing children. But in the development of children, it's important for them to have constants to cling onto. They need it as a part of their psyche. This is why having a stable household is important. You have to build things up before you can break them down. I support instilling a sense of respect for the office of the President of the United States in children.

Actually, I think there are far too few adults who have enough respect for the office (and yes, I realize that this includes Democrats who call Bush a Nazi).

This particular question list is extremely generic and is intended for PRE-K through 6th grade. It's just sent out to teachers as a general guideline for their ensuing discussion. Obviously it's up to a particular teacher to steer his discussion toward what is appropriate for their age group.

As a stepping point toward a discussion on the merits of revering the President, I guess this is interesting. But as an issue on its own, it seems pretty mundane and boring to me.


I'm really tired, and I realize that this post is in no way well written or cohesive, but I'm too lazy to go back and make it flow well or make sense, so deal with that.

[Mercury69]

Bush isn't smart enough to be a Nazi

Cheney, on the other hand, would have been a smashing Gestapo commander.

[hblask]

I'm pretty much anti-authority in everything, and this seems pretty innocuous.

Way less harmful than the art project at my kid's school where, before the election, all the kids had to draw a picture of Obama. Not of their favorite candidate, of Obama. Then the plastered the walls of the school with them.

[Pot Odds RAC]

I'm pretty much anti-authority in everything, and this seems pretty innocuous.

Way less harmful than the art project at my kid's school where, before the election, all the kids had to draw a picture of Obama. Not of their favorite candidate, of Obama. Then the plastered the walls of the school with them.

How a teacher can find that appropriate or think that no parents woul have a problem with it just stuns me.

[strategy]

How a teacher can find that appropriate or think that no parents woul have a problem with it just stuns me.

Obama had a bunch of teacher-oriented stuff during the campaign... conferences and what have you. I'm not surprised.

My school had a mock election in '96. I was 11 at the time, voted Perot. Clinton won in a landslide.

[akoff]

Bush isn't smart enough to be a Nazi

Cheney, on the other hand, would have been a smashing Gestapo commander.

I laughed

[brvheart]

Since this is still getting play I'm posting this link. Again, it's important to note that I totally fine with a strictly inspirational speech.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/articl...V9XVfQD9AG43GO0

[Balloon guy]

Ray Peterson: [chanting] I'm not going to listen to this, I'm not going to here this now.
Art: Ray! Ray! Your chanting!
[points to book]
Art: Ray, unconscious chanting... your chanting!
Ray Peterson: [continues Chanting with fingers in ears]
Art: [chants] I want to kill everyone. Satan is good. Satan is our pal.
Art: Hey, once they get in here,
[points to Ray's head]
Art: its over pal.

[brvheart]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/26744.html