Conservatives enraged over Obama school speech
(Excerpts from the online article)

The White House says President Obama's address next week to schoolchildren isn't a policy speech.

The White House said the address, set for Tuesday, and accompanying suggested lesson plans are simply meant to encourage students to study hard and stay in school.

"Thinking about my kids in school having to listen to that just really upsets me," suburban Colorado mother Shanneen Barron told CNN Denver affiliate KMGH. "I'm an American. They are Americans, and I don't feel that's OK. I feel very scared to be in this country with our leadership right now."

"The president of the United States has asked us to facilitate his outreach to students. And in that vein, we have decided to honor the request," Wong told CNN. "We'll trust in his judgment."

Republican leaders have not shied away from the debate. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a possible contender for the GOP's 2012 presidential nomination, said Friday the classroom is no place to show a video address from Obama.

"At a minimum it's disruptive. Number two, it's uninvited.

Florida GOP Chairman Jim Greer released a statement this week accusing Obama of using taxpayer money to "indoctrinate" children.

"As the father of four children, I am absolutely appalled that taxpayer dollars are being used to spread President Obama's socialist ideology," Greer said.

"The idea that school children across our nation will be forced to watch the president justify his plans ... is not only infuriating, but goes against beliefs of the majority of Americans, while bypassing American parents through an invasive abuse of power."

"The goal of the speech and the lesson plans is to challenge students to work hard, stay in school and dramatically reduce the dropout rate," an administration spokesman said. "This isn't a policy speech. It's a speech designed to encourage kids to stay in school."

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/10582301/President-Obama%E2%80%99s-Address-to-Students-Across-America-September-8-2009

I don't think it's so much his speech ... I think it's the fact that our school system is ONLY based on the liberal agenda.

I think it's the fact that our school system is ONLY based on the liberal agenda . And our children have become ...... as stupid as stupid can be ....

Dumbing...numbing ... our youth is apparent. We're fed up with it !!

Why do you think ... home schooling is taking over ??

We had to struggle with the old enemies of peace‹business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering.

They had begun to consider the Government of the United States as a mere appendage to their own affairs. We know now that Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob.

Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me‹and I welcome their hatred.

I should like to have it said of my first Administration that in it the forces of selfishness and of lust for power met their match. I should like to have it said of my second Administration that in it these forces met their master.

TPM


Florida GOP Chair Jim Greer. Greer put out a press release in advance of the talk that might encourage some parents to lock the doors and spend the opening day of school in a basement fallout shelter

“As the father of four children, I am absolutely appalled that taxpayer dollars are being used to spread President Obama’s socialist ideology. The idea that school children across our nation will be forced to watch the President justify his plans for government-run health care, banks, and automobile companies, increasing taxes on those who create jobs, and racking up more debt than any other President, is not only infuriating, but goes against beliefs of the majority of Americans, while bypassing American parents through an invasive abuse of power.


The address scheduled for September 8, 2009, does not allow for healthy debate on the President’s agenda, but rather obligates the youngest children in our public school system to agree with our President’s initiatives or be ostracized by their teachers and classmates.

Florida GOP Chair:

“Pied Piper Obama” In Classroom “Usurp[s] Our rights”
September 4th, 2009, 11:00 AM EDT


Sure, Chairman Greer. For healthy debate we need to go to those nicely run beautifully appointed town hall meetings.

“Public schools can’t teach children to speak out in support of the sanctity of human life or traditional marriage. President Obama and the Democrats wouldn’t dream of allowing prayer in school. Christmas Parties are now Holiday Parties. But, the Democrats have no problem going against the majority of American people and usurping the rights of parents by sending Pied Piper Obama into the American classroom.

Oh, so if a president went into a classroom and railed against a woman’s right to choose and slammed gays for getting married, that would be an acceptable agenda, and wouldn’t be spreading ideology, correct Mr. Greer? Certainly if you don’t want a president in the classroom, that would apply to all presidents, correct?


Some school districts in Texas, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Virginia and Wisconsin, among other states, have decided not to show President Obama's televised speech to students next week, the Associated Press reports. Others are still thinking it over or are letting parents have their kids opt out.

Some conservatives, driven by radio pundits and bloggers, are urging schools and parents to boycott the address, the AP says. Their complaint is that Obama is using the opportunity to promote a political agenda and is overstepping the boundaries of federal involvement in schools.

"As far as I am concerned, this is not civics education — it gives the appearance of creating a cult of personality," says Oklahoma Republican state Sen. Steve Russell. "This is something you'd expect to see in North Korea or in Saddam Hussein's Iraq."

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican, issued this statement, the Austin American-Statesman reports: “While President Obama talking directly to school children could be a memorable moment in their young lives, I am troubled that local school boards and superintendents were not involved in the process ... I hope schools will provide a suitable alternative for students not participating in this event. I also hope that this is not an indication of the federal government further encroaching on states’ authority over education.”

Arizona state schools superintendent Tom Horne, a Republican, said lesson plans for teachers created by Obama's Education Department "call for a worshipful rather than critical approach."

The White House plans to release the speech online Monday so parents can read it, the AP says. The president will deliver the speech at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Va.

The Dallas Morning News, and many other papers, note that President George H.W. Bush in 1991 gave a similar live speech on education, in which he said, "What's so great about being stupid?". While it did not provoke calls for boycotts, Democrats did complain about spending $28,000 in Department of Education money for a TV crew to handle the event.

Lamar Alexander, then secretary of education and now a Republican senator from Tennessee, defending the expenditures at a congressional hearing, said: "We don't send messages by smoke signals anymore. ... We do it by microphone and camera."


"The president's speech next week is a perfect example of 'a good idea gone astray,' " Prescott, Ariz., Superintendent Kevin Kapp wrote on the district's website, The Arizona Republic reports. "After reviewing the materials associated with the speech, (Prescott schools) will not televise the speech or broadcast it via computers."


Superintendent James Murlless of the Queen Creek, Ariz., Unified School District recommended his district "not take the time right now" to show the speech. "This whole speech idea of President Obama's to the school children, while well intended, seemingly may have a political overtone to it," Murlless said in an e-mail, the Gilbert Tribune, shown above, reports. "While on first blush, urging kids to stay in school, is good, I think this speech would better serve children in their own homes under the supervision of their parents."

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a Republican, tells WCCO-AM radio today that showing the address during school time in the morning could be disruptive and raises concerns "about the content and the motive." He also said that the speech is "uninvited."

I appreciate your agreeing to it but think its odd that on your first day of school the president of the United States talks to your kids ,and you think thats somehow disruptive when its actually such an honor.I remember on opening day of the Spokane Washingtons World Expostition 1974 in the Opening ceremonies President Nixon spoke to all of us.I would of found it odd if we thought how disruptive it was for him to speak for 20 minutes on such a world event that he was somehow keeping us from the first day events.Even as a president that was sliding in favor our city was extremely honored that the president took time out of his busy schedule honor us by speaking to us in our city.He was the president of the United States.Its sad when the patriotism level in this country gets to where a president is a nuisance rather than an honor,when somehow it would have been better time spent to have had the principal or teacher speak to the kids rather than the leader of the free world.

I don't care if my kids hear it or not, they're old enough to discuss it with me.

Do I think it will be disruptive....yes.

Its sad when the patriotism level in this country gets to where a president is a nuisance rather than an honor,when somehow it would have been better time spent to have had the principal or teacher speak to the kids rather than the leader of the free world.

As for the others that protest him speaking period,well that's pathetic and if you possibly tried ,do you think you could be anymore unAmerican ,and lack any more patriotism as you currently are .

What's to discuss? Okay ... I suppose one might want to eventually discuss the the projects that might evolve from the speech ... about setting goals, staying in school, pushing ones self to do well.

it appears only those who are opposed to a good education (apparently in favor of the "dumbing down of the US") are opposed to the speech and the timing of it.

lowly principal wanted to speak in the auditorium they would have to come,atleast they should have too.

"If people don't want their kids exposed to the president telling them to work hard at their studies and stay in school they are just stupid. Frankly it makes me worry that they are too stupid to be raising kids"!

Our schools here started two weeks ago,yours is ready to start,and in Oregon they start in two weeks,so its unfortunate that your school will have bad timing in play,he cannot please everybody.

My sister sent her children to a so-called "accredited Christian" school and then had to send them back to the public school an additional 2 years to get them caught up so they could actually get a high school diploma. The one that wanted to go to college that is. The other two were apparently not inspired to "better" themselves. (I guess the bible doesn't teach much of that stuff ... eh?)

I think that the lesson plans should be up to each individual school district and/or teacher not the Obama administration. That is probably where some of the conflict is coming from. Many do not like the idea of a Direct Lesson Plan from the Obama administration.

Fifth--Does anyone even remember when Bush I spoke to the students of the United States? Does anyone remember when Reagan spoke to them?
Why is this such a massive heart-attack-producing event for some people?