I keep meaning to blog about this, because, as you may imagine, I have much to say on the matter.
Trouble is, I am exhausted already and it is only Wednesday.
As such, I am going to make the following statements in regards to the President's Address to students. Allow me to preface by saying, yes as a school we did receive emails and calls requesting students not watch the President's speech, yes I did show it, and yes students were sent to an alternate location during the speech.
(In case you think my Uber-liberal bias is played out in class, let me assure you, I made no
comments during or after the speech and my students have no idea of my political affiliation;
last year during and after the election, my students never knew for whom I was voting.
Teachers are excellent actors.)
In regards to the Presidential Address and the "backlash" there-in, I would like to say-
1) It's public school.
2) He is the American President, democratically elected.
3) This was not the first time an American President has addressed the American school children, President H.W. Bush gave a similar speech broadcast from a high school in Washington, D. C.; he did this in 1991.
4) As President Thomas Jefferson said, "Information is the currency of democracy."
If we believe in American democracy, how is it then, that we can justify removing our children
from classes in their public school because our democratically-elected President has declared
his intention to give a speech on the importance of education?
5) It's public school; and also, he's the President of the United States of AMERICA.
6) If you disagree with a person's politics, particularly the President's,how is removing your
child from school, preventing them from listening to him give a speech on education, teaching
them anything? Instead perhaps, why not have a discussion with your child about why you
disagree with the President and allow them to listen to the speech with discerning ears? Then,
discuss the speech with your child afterword and explain why you agree or disagree with what
is said.
7) He's the President of the United States; it's public school.
8) What is dangerous about the President wanting to give students a speech about the value of
education? Do we NOT value education? Never mind, don't answer that.
9) Regardless of the man (or woman) holding the office, the office should command some
respect. If the President of the United States says he wants to address the children of the
nation, it must be something important and quite possibly, something worth hearing. Perhaps
we should remember our history and treat the office with a little more respect.
--sidenote. Those of you who know me, know I was not happy with the previous
President. However, I always referred to him as President (instead of just his first or last
name as so many tend to do) and I still believe regardless of my opinion of him as a man,
he was our leader and as such I respected his position during his tenure.
10) Public. School.
Trouble is, I am exhausted already and it is only Wednesday.
As such, I am going to make the following statements in regards to the President's Address to students. Allow me to preface by saying, yes as a school we did receive emails and calls requesting students not watch the President's speech, yes I did show it, and yes students were sent to an alternate location during the speech.
(In case you think my Uber-liberal bias is played out in class, let me assure you, I made no
comments during or after the speech and my students have no idea of my political affiliation;
last year during and after the election, my students never knew for whom I was voting.
Teachers are excellent actors.)
In regards to the Presidential Address and the "backlash" there-in, I would like to say-
1) It's public school.
2) He is the American President, democratically elected.
3) This was not the first time an American President has addressed the American school children, President H.W. Bush gave a similar speech broadcast from a high school in Washington, D. C.; he did this in 1991.
4) As President Thomas Jefferson said, "Information is the currency of democracy."
If we believe in American democracy, how is it then, that we can justify removing our children
from classes in their public school because our democratically-elected President has declared
his intention to give a speech on the importance of education?
5) It's public school; and also, he's the President of the United States of AMERICA.
6) If you disagree with a person's politics, particularly the President's,how is removing your
child from school, preventing them from listening to him give a speech on education, teaching
them anything? Instead perhaps, why not have a discussion with your child about why you
disagree with the President and allow them to listen to the speech with discerning ears? Then,
discuss the speech with your child afterword and explain why you agree or disagree with what
is said.
7) He's the President of the United States; it's public school.
8) What is dangerous about the President wanting to give students a speech about the value of
education? Do we NOT value education? Never mind, don't answer that.
9) Regardless of the man (or woman) holding the office, the office should command some
respect. If the President of the United States says he wants to address the children of the
nation, it must be something important and quite possibly, something worth hearing. Perhaps
we should remember our history and treat the office with a little more respect.
--sidenote. Those of you who know me, know I was not happy with the previous
President. However, I always referred to him as President (instead of just his first or last
name as so many tend to do) and I still believe regardless of my opinion of him as a man,
he was our leader and as such I respected his position during his tenure.
10) Public. School.
2 comments:
I understand your points, and I just wanted to say that the parents I know in my town who did not want their children to watch the speech while in school, gave reasoning that they preferred to watch the speech together with their children.
Two parents recorded it via DVR, and wanted to be able to control what their children were seeing and hearing, and to talk about the content with them.
I don't see how that is wrong, nor believe it should be condemned.
However, those who protested and/or banned their children from watching for no reason at all, perhaps they need a little wake-up call.
Yes, Presidents in the past have given speeches, and schools have allowed the students to watch. I think for the first time in history parents are getting more involved because they are concerned about what their children are learning.
Just because it's Public School does not mean that everything presented is going to be "right" for every student.
Dana in regards to your last sentence...because it is a public school it is a public institution and therefor should be open to elected public officials to address the students. Additionally, if there is any trapping of the federal government that students and teachers should be protected from it should be the No Child Left Behind Bill. How about a public outcry about that?
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