I received an e-mail from my daughter this morning, sending me a link to
President Obama's Message for Americas Students. She told me that a co-worker of hers said that "her daughter's school in Florence, TX outside Austin REFUSED to show this speech. Her daughter is bi-racial and has been so inspired by Barack Obama and was upset that her school would not show the speech. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE? There is NOTHING wrong with this speech.
What message does it send to kids when adults are so stupid that they stop this speech from being aired in the classroom?"
From the
Houston Chronicle:
“I think it's inappropriate because it smacks of political indoctrination of the worst kind,” said Brett Curtis, a parent of two children attending Pearland ISD schools. “It's not just a speech. It's a specific curriculum to go along with the speech directly from the president of the United States without review.”
‘Wild-eyed paranoia'
President Obama's speech does have its defenders.
“It's hard to imagine anything more ridiculous than attacking the president of the United States for talking to students about the importance of getting a good education and being a good citizen,” said Kathy Miller, president of the Texas Freedom Network, which monitors public education in Texas.
“I wish our elected leaders were responsible enough to denounce this kind of wild-eyed paranoia,” Miller said. “But the problem is too many of them are actually feeding this kind of nonsense — like when the governor flirts with secessionists and State Board of Education members say the president sympathizes with terrorists.”
My school district, Pasadena ISD, didn't show the speech (live) either. Here is the letter they sent to parents:
In a letter to school principals from the United States Department of Education, Secretary Arne Duncan announced that on September 8, 2009, President Barack Obama will deliver a national address to students on the importance of education. According to the letter, Secretary Duncan stated that the President will challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning.
The address will be broadcast live on the White House web site; however, due to the concern expressed by our community, teachers and other staff, we will not present the live address to students in Pasadena ISD. Instead, our Technology Department will record the address, giving our instructional leaders the opportunity to preview the president’s comments and decide if the speech is appropriate for our students. If it is appropriate, the principals will decide the grade level(s) in which it may be used based on the content of the message and the curriculum. If they determine that the address is appropriate for a group of students, as always, parents may request, in writing, that their child is opted out of viewing the address with the understanding that the student will receive an alternate assignment. If parents choose to keep a student home on the day the address is viewed in his/her classroom, the absence will be unexcused.
Thank you for your continued support of our students and staff.
When my daughter was in 2nd grade at Pasadena ISD they watched the Challenger explode into a million bits. They showed that and in replay too. But they refused to show Obama's speech? That is so messed up. And yet, same school district. There was no discussion of the effect on the students or the appropriatness of them seeing the Challenger blow up, nor was I notified with a "Letter to Parents" that my child would be watching it and I could opt out.
What the hell is wrong with people?
