Is Obama's planned broadcast to school kids next week appropriate?

1. 68

   MaddieBposted 14 years ago

   Is Obama's planned broadcast to school kids next week appropriate?
   
   Why or why not?

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2. 60

   SheriSappposted 14 years ago

   There is no way that any rational adult could see this planned speech as anything more than an act of desperation from a man seeing his plans unravel.  The healthcare debate has gotten so out of control, that Barry is now trying to turn our very children against us.  If this speech were simply a "stay in school, work hard, be all you can be speech"  I would have no problem with it.  However, if the kids are supposed to ask themselves what they can do to help the president, that is WRONG!!!!!  My family does not agree with his policies or political views;  asking my child how she could subvert me and aid him is shameful.

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3. 60

   landthatiloveposted 14 years ago

   First of all who really knows the content of the speech. Those that are already negative and prejudging it might be spouting off about nothing and looking for every crevice to pry him out of favor in the public. I find this despicable.
   
   To use his bully pulpit to have a positive influence on our young is admirable. I believe this president loves kids. It shows in the way he has conducted himself as a family man and concerned parent to his own girls.
   
   To disregard this bully pulpit when there is great potential to enact positive results would be and has been negligent. There is no one more powerful than the president to prompt a national discussion.
   
   Those who are against our president will find fault with every breath he takes so I just roll my eyes at them. They have no ones best interests at heart only their own political pursuasion in mind. Let them rally around Limbaugh and Hannity, the screeching demagogues.

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4. 58

   Whiteiris42posted 14 years ago

   This seems an absurd question to me. Shouldn't the president encourage kids to do well in school? Kids should be involved in politics, and whether their parents are a democrat or a republican, Obama is the president right now, and kids certainly know that, don't they? I was watching on the news today parents who plan to keep their kids out of school because of this. I did not agree with the politics of Bush, but I always had my kids watch when he addressed the nation. (Second Bush, my kids are young, too young to have seen the first Bush broadcast to the schools.)
   
   I have a real problem with people who think the best way to raise and educate their children is to keep information from them. Teaching your children to think, to view the facts and make their own opinion is so much more beneficial to them then learning to obey blindly what an authority figure tells them. If you don't agree with Obama telling kids to...stay in school and work hard...and you very well might, instead of keeping them from seeing the message, why not sit them down after they watch it and tell them why you disagree?

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5. 59

   EdG.posted 14 years ago

   Depends on the message, children are very susceptible to influence from adults, the media, and especially big important adults in the media. Since Obama most certainly falls into the last category the children are likely to believe whatever the hell he tells them. But if he spews the usual "stay in school" crap then he might not cause too much damage.

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6. 60

   The Sharkposted 14 years ago

   I have no problem with the President addressing school kids, but when it used as part of a political agenda I have a problem.
   I think the President should have had two distinct broadcasts, one for elementary and one for high school kids.
   The message to elementary could have been: Kids listen to your teachers and your parents. Do what they ask you to do, do your home work and do your best, etc.
   To high school kids, he could have addressed stats about the kind of jobs that graduates get as opposed to non grads. Peer pressure about drugs, sex and alcohol could have been addressed too.
   
   My problem comes with the federal board of education sending lesson plans to teachers about questions to ask about how Obama inspires them and books to read about Obama. Then to give instructions to teachers about how to make posters with Obama quotes for the class room, essentially the govt running the class that day.
   It turns the whole thing into nothing more than a political program for kids.
   
   This clears up any question about these being government schools. Making it clear vouchers are necessary to give parents choice of where they want their kids educated.
   
   How many of these schools even have a picture of Washington, Lincoln or Jefferson hanging anywhere in their building. I checked our k-6 building and only found a picture of MLK, Einstein and Obama hanging---a sad state of affairs.
   Did any of these schools ever have a picture of President Bush hanging there, I seriously doubt it.
   
   The Shark

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