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History and current events have no business in our schools...
- Sep 3, 2009 at 9:00 PM
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- Comments (159) Total Views (3468) Everyone can see this journal post.
..is really what I think when I hear people going bananas about Obama's speech being broadcast.
I remember specifically watching several of George Bush's speeches when I was in school. I didn't agree with him then and I don't agree with him now. My point being that watching him speak didn't "brainwash" me into thinking anything and it didn't even come close to causing me to change my political views. But I'm glad that I watched it; it helped me to learn about politics and to learn about myself in regards to my opinions and viewpoints. It was also appropriate for school, in my opinion, because no matter how much I disagreed with the man, you can't deny that his presidency was historical. EVERY presidency is historical and therefore what is going on with our current president is current events and history in the making.
Besides, the whole thing comes off very ironically to me. If you won't let your children be exposed to any viewpoint or political standing other than your own (even in a very non-aggressive, neutral setting such as SCHOOL), who is REALLY doing the brainwashing? Teach your kids whatever you'd like and raise them however you see fit--if you've really done a good job then you should have faith that your kids will grow up with the morals that you'd like them to have and you need not cut them off from the outside world.
Deep breath. Pull the sticks out. Ahh, doesn't that feel nice?
Tags: i don't want obama in schools! doood he's the president, not a religion.
Comments:
Word.
totally.
I want your avitar, Mamaof3grlz, on a Tshirt.
That should be you and me.
This article highlights some of the concerns people/parents are having with this particular approach/speech ...
Obama's school speech - social indoctrination?
by Pete Chagnon - OneNewsNow
Is the president using his bully pulpit to push social change in America's schools?
Neal McClusky with the Cato Institute's Center for Educational Freedom believes the Obama administration is engaging in outright indoctrination of school children. He says that on September 8, Obama will address schools nationwide -- and in conjunction with that speech, school teachers have been sent study packets and a letter from the Department of Education, complete with assignments and questions to ask their students.
"The letter says that 'no other task is more critical to our economic future and our social progress than what these schools do.' Now that alone is a little disturbing because it suggests that the schools are supposed to be pushing social change," McClusky notes.
Some of the suggested discussion questions teachers are to ask students include: "Does the speech make you want to do anything?" and "Are we able to do what the president is asking of us?" Calls to the Department of Education in order ascertain the topic of the speech have not been returned. (See editor's note below)
Apart from the discussion questions, the Department of Education has sent out a "menu of classroom activities." McClusky says those activities include reading books on President Obama and participating in the Department of Education's "I Am What I Learn" video contest, and discussing "why it is important that we listen to the president and other elected officials."
"And so this appears to be very much something intended to make kids talk about how important the presidency is and apparently how inspirational this president is," McClusky points out. "And it could also be about using the schools as tools of social change."
McClusky calls the event "unprecedented." He adds that the Constitution lays out explicit powers for the federal government and education is not among them. "So the federal government has been really unconstitutionally involved in education for the last 40-some years," McClusky says.
He adds that in that time there has been a shift to a more centralized control of education in the implementation of No Child Left Behind, The Race to the Top Fund -- which includes $350 million to develop a national test and force states to adopt national standards.
According to McClusky, the real danger in all of this is that conservatives, who at first did not believe the federal government should be involved, are the ones who are now pushing for the change. He hopes this educational speech and discussion will serve as a wakeup call.
McClusky adds that it is antithetical to a free society to have schools run by a centralized government.
Source:
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Education/Default.aspx?id=662126
Our children don't need to be hearing about how they can better their lives through education and hard work. That's nonsense! They should be taught to drop out and live off the government. What is Obama thinking!?
Right on, sister. Some people will read *only what they want to get out of a story*. In other words, if you refuse to like Obama, you will hardly be objective to anything he does, bottom line. One will always find something wrong with everything. And that's what this is all about.
Talking to younger people, like other presidents have done in the past, is not new. Nor is it something to be upset about.
You were still in HS when George Bush was in office?? Suddenly I feel very, very old. (Well, I did just turn 2^5 yesterday.)
I agree , The parents , They are the ones that put in there children minds what there morals are when they grow up , Even with my Kyle I put into him a ton of happiness , and joy , You grow up in anger they become angry , You learn what you live .. Great journal post ...
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True that.