This whole thing seems to have put school districts in an awkward position. Do they broadcast it? Do they limit viewing? How do they handle it?
Well, it seems like the Hilliard School District is managing it in the best way possible.
Props to the folks over in Hilliard.Good afternoon,
As many of you may already know, President Barack Obama is broadcasting an address to students online next Tuesday, September 8, at noon. The district has attempted to take a neutral position regarding the broadcasting of the address in school by offering students the option of viewing or not.
However, since yesterday we have received significant feedback from our school community regarding the broadcast in our schools. We also have just learned that the address will be available on C-Span for recording, as well as posted on the White House Web site (www.whitehouse.gov) for viewing at any time.
Parents will now be able to access and share the broadcast with their children at their own discretion. The district will not broadcast the President’s address in the schools on Tuesday. We hope this decision will address the concerns of all our parents and prevent the disruption of our students’ school day.
UPDATE: It seems a couple folks got a little excited about this post in the comments.
One of my fave quotes from "MJL":
"It is a "Stay in School" public service announcement from the person children should look to as the ultimate authority in their country."
See. That's the problem right there. The perception that it is the President that should be the "ultimate authority" to a child.
Ri-damn-diculous.
As someone much smarter than me said, "[The President] is not a wise, fatherly influence to guide the youth. He is a public servant with Constitutionally limited duties and he should mind his own business."
The parent should be the ultimate authority. Period. And the Hilliard School District leaving it up to the parent to decide what their child views is the right way to handle this.
Later in the comment I was told to take off my "tin-foil hat" and "quit drinking the kool-aid".
First off, I love kool-aid. Especially cherry. So the answer is no on that one.
Second, read my damn post. Not once do I claim the President is trying to indoctrinate anyone. All that despite this bit of information:
As one of the preparatory materials for teachers provided by the Department of Education, students had been asked to, "Write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president."
Today, after Republicans accused the White House of trying to indoctrinate school children with liberal propaganda the White House and the Department of Education changed the section to now read, “Write letters to themselves about how they can achieve their short‐term and long‐term education goals.”
“We changed it to clarify the language so the intent is clear,” said White House Spokesman Tommy Vietor…
As Allahpundit so artfully pointed out, "In defense of The One’s critics , this isn’t the first time Team Barry has 'inartfully' phrased something in a way that suggests an agenda vastly more ambitious than they claim to have."
Another critic of the speech said this:
"The Department of Education should not be producing paid political advertising for the President, it should be helping us to produce smarter students."
Oh wait. That wasn't a critique of this speech. It was Dick Gephardt criticizing Bush. In 1991.
(and yes, if I wasn't in 9th grade at the time I likely would have opposed that video, too)
At the end of the day, what is so wrong about simply leaving it up the parents to watch it or not? If the President wants to produce a video for children to view, great. But don't push it down anyone's throat.
I'm constantly amazed at the venom that comes from the liberal left, despite all the power they wield.
Next thing ya know they'll be cannibalizing us.
Let me see if I get this right - we are to give "props" to the school district for caving to right wing cry babies who didn't want there kids to hear form the President of the US? What the heck? If you can't tolerate your child hearing a message from the President, you are free to leave the country. I am sure Mynmar would be a good match.
ReplyDeletesorry - "there" should be "their"
ReplyDeleteMy brain just can't seem to wrap itself around this.
ReplyDeleteStupid, ignorant parents are worried the president is going to "brainwash" their children?
It is a "Stay in School" public service announcement from the person children should look to as the ultimate authority in their country. He isn't trying to sell his healthcare plan to your kids, idiots. He's not going to use subliminal messages to turn them into muslim, pro-abortion, gay-lovers...if that's what you're worried about. Take off your freaking tin-foil hats, quit drinking the Kool-Aid for a minute and use some common sense for a change.... Read More
What the hell do these people think he really is trying to do other than lead his country?
How can these people really think he is such a "horrible" president who is taking us into the world of NaziSocialistFacistCommunism, if they've spent the entire first months of his presidency with their fat little fingers ... Read Morein their ears, shouting loud enough to drown out any possibility of common sense from creeping into their minds, and refusing to be open to any sort of rational discussion. They don't have to like him or agree with him at all, but is asking them to at least listen to the president of your country asking too much?
If someone did this when GWB was in office, they would be called haters of America...
MJL....
ReplyDeleteIf W tried to do this, while having his DOE write talking points....Ol' Nancy would have had C-Span turn off the cameras just like she does in the chamber!
No venom...just facts....of course you libs don't debate with your brains...its all about how you feel!
Kudos Hilliard and other districts who aren't showing the Propaganda Video...notice Columbus is...hummmmmm!
I never once said that I was a liberal. You know what they say happens when you assume... Yeah I voted democrat for president since Clinton, but I also am supporting Kasich and DeWine. I vote based on issues and the person, not if there is a D or an R next to them. More people should think like me on that front.
ReplyDeleteI was always told that even if you have no regard for the man holding the office, that you should RESPECT the office of the President of the United States. Why can't some conservatives practice what they preached for the previous 8 years? I'm not trying to start a fight here, I'm simply asking why is it a bad thing for the president to tell kids to stay in school and to work hard to reach their goals?
I swear, not only is he the first black president, he is the first black man to get crap for telling kids to stay in school.
Oh and Hillard changed their minds
ReplyDeletehttp://dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/09/04/obama_backlash.html?sid=101
Hilliard changing their minds has nothing to do with anything when we're talking about the principle of the matter.
ReplyDeleteHilliard's flip flop is based on a faulty precedent of 'other President's have done the same thing'.
That doesn't make it right.
I'm still confused as to why you, and others, believe it's so wrong for the parent to have the final say...
I would point out that the assumption that the speech would simply be a "stay in school" message is premature. Well, premature before the controversy, and fully unknown after, because while they are going to release the text of the speech on Monday, they will have had four or five days to redact any political messages. Will the text released Monday be the same as that which was initially drafted? Very doubtful.
ReplyDeleteDemocrats took issue with President Bush in 1991 when he did the same thing, because it is somewhat chilling to have someone - who many of these kids will be told (incorrectly, by the way) is the ultimate authority in the country - directly address all school children, regardless of age and ability to process layered messages.
THe key example of the tone of the idea can be found in the whitewashing of the original text of the announcement, when it changed from writing letters to themselves about how they can help the President, to writing letters to themselves about why it is necessary to work and study hard. "Inartful?" No... The first statement is, in fact, doctrinal.
There has been too much "inartful wording," or "misspeaking," or "well, I'm sure [someone] would put it differently if given another chance." And based on those instances, you can be quite sure that the truly benign statement actually delivered by the President will be a far cry from what he and his handlers wanted him to say.
If I'm not mistaken, Reagan did the exact same thing back in the 80's. I'm not an Obama fan (card-carrying Republican) and I don't understand why this is such a big deal.
ReplyDelete