Obama goes back to school

[Leif]

Maybe I'm just thick since I just woke up. Wut?

[Dimmauk]

To bad Bush didn't do this, been funny to necropost that thread.

http://bahamaderek.files.wordpress.c...2/mc-enroe.jpg

[Dimmauk]

I mean, I don't really care, but there are some clear problems with this idea to speak to all these students...

1) White House-released lesson plans ask questions like "How can you help the president" instead of "How can you help your country?"
2) Why should millions of students stop learning in order to listen to Obama talk about why it's important to learn, then do more activities about why it's important to learn? It makes so sense. These children should be spending their days learning instead of being told by the 2948th teacher/administrator/parent/parole officer to "work hard in school".

I mean, neither is a catastrophe, but this speech, with a goal to inspire America's children, doesn't really make sense. The lesson plans for the event combined with health care reform debate will likely make this speech highly political in nature, and I don't support wasting even more school time because a president wants to say something.

Where was your fake outrage with Reagan and the Bushes did the same thing?

[Tyche]

1) Been addressed already in this thread.
2) Anytime that a political discussion can be brought into a school, I think it's a good thing. The average high school student is so ignorant to the politics, that it's embarrassing. 73% of the kids in a class full of freshmen didn't know that Joe Biden was the vice-president. If it sparks discussion and even gets one kid in each class interesting in politics, it's a success as long as Obama and the administrators don't push political beliefs.

[Leif]

I don't know if they did the same thing (to my knowledge nobody has addressed students like this before), but if they did, I didn't know about it.
Edit: Just read the first post! Bush delivered an anti-drug speech before he was president. I don't know much about the Reagan speech, but who knows? Maybe he was inspiring America's children to fight communism.

And I wouldn't call it outrage. As I said, I really don't give a fuck. I'm just saying that there is something valid about people's problems with it. Everything suggests he is going to use it as a a way to send a political message most students are essentially forced to watch.

Anytime that a political discussion can be brought into a school, I think it's a good thing. The average high school student is so ignorant to the politics, that it's embarrassing. 73% of the kids in a class full of freshmen didn't know that Joe Biden was the vice-president. If it sparks discussion and even gets one kid in each class interesting in politics, it's a success as long as Obama and the administrators don't push political beliefs.

Totally. I fully support teaching about say, civic responsibilities, being a good American, paying taxes, staying out of prison, etc etc. Only time will tell whether or not this will be good or not. However, the lesson plan thingies don't send a very promising message.

[Tyche]

According to the video posted on page 1, the lesson plan you are referring to doesn't exist anymore. Watch it.

[Leif]

Interesting, but the point still is valid. I don't care if kids don't have to say why Obama is great, but it is still an indicator as to what kind of content he might include in his speech.

[Serif]

Well the how does it feel to see fellow reich-wingers and brainwashed people QQing over a goddamn school lesson?

I think it is hilarious.

If the parents are so outraged over this they can easily solve it by going with their child to the event itself.

It is once again the outliers in politics getting all the publicity and not the norm. Got to love it!

[Leif]

Considering the Democrat's incredibly weak position on education (aka "just give the teacher unions more money!") and history of using young children for political benefit (staged question with the little girl who asks why people are being "mean" with their signs that don't support obama... that turns out to be the daughter of a big obama supporter), you can't claim people are being "crazy".

If democrats have shown they haven't cared about education in the past and that they have also shown that they are willing to use little kids as pawns in their political game, who says they aren't going to do it again?

[MrW]

The hilarious part of it is the majority of the people don't really care that our PRESIDENT wants to speak to our children and the minority always seems to be the ones that have to be pleased. What's the parent's rationale? What could possibly be more productive than their kid being at school (obviously depending on the child)?

[Leif]

Their kids being at school learning how to add instead of learning how to learn.

Trust me, every child in America hears the "work hard in school" speech about 10 times a week. If they don't have the message now, there isn't much hope for them.

Please enlighten me how is this any different from any other time?

Republicans can be trusted not to waste your time...?

[zoobernut]

Since we have established that several presidents have over time addressed all the schools in the nation with speeches about various things. Please enlighten me how is this any different from any other time?


Please be specific and cite examples. So far the only stuff that people have said is all anecdotal or untrue rumors and conjecture.

[Dimmauk]

Considering the Democrat's incredibly weak position on education (aka "just give the teacher unions more money!") and history of using young children for political benefit (staged question with the little girl who asks why people are being "mean" with their signs that don't support obama... that turns out to be the daughter of a big obama supporter), you can't claim people are being "crazy".

If democrats have shown they haven't cared about education in the past and that they have also shown that they are willing to use little kids as pawns in their political game, who says they aren't going to do it again?

Wow, you really have no fucking clue what you are talking about. It is really amazing.

[MrW]

Their kids being at school learning how to add instead of learning how to learn.

Trust me, every child in America hears the "work hard in school" speech about 10 times a week. If they don't have the message now, there isn't much hope for them.


Republicans can be trusted not to waste your time...?

Regardless of anyone's position, would it be ok for them to NOT LEARN anything rather than learning something they should already know (presumably)? Not attacking your position because I believe you stated that you really didn't care. My point is that whether you agree with our president's agenda or not he is still our president. Also, that kids should be in school when school is in session and not out of school because of their parents' issues with Obama.

[Dareus]

Considering the Democrat's incredibly weak position on education (aka "just give the teacher unions more money!") and history of using young children for political benefit (staged question with the little girl who asks why people are being "mean" with their signs that don't support obama... that turns out to be the daughter of a big obama supporter), you can't claim people are being "crazy".

If democrats have shown they haven't cared about education in the past and that they have also shown that they are willing to use little kids as pawns in their political game, who says they aren't going to do it again?

Please don't pretend that the Republican education system is any better, or that republicans don't stage things to make Obama look evil/crazy/socialist/ect (Oh sup Obama scar). This is to get kids excited and interested in school, not to brainwash them so they will vote for obama 6 years later when they are 18.


I fully support this, and I'm damn ashamed in my nation that something so simple and positive is being blown out of proportion once again.

[Suited Aces]

Please enlighten me how is this any different from any other time?

It's not. The right wants to make the administration look bad. The left wants to make the right look bad. The media perpetuates for ratings. They switch roles every 4-8 years just to mix it up a bit.

Maybe I'm just being too cynical.

[Serif]

So it seems like the whole thing is over the question ,"How can I help the President?"

The White House has gone back and removed it. They are stating that the question was supposed to mean, "How can I help the President reduce the drop out rate?"

I am actually curious to see the items that the schools received.

Also they are stating that they will be releasing the text from the speech on Monday.

[Leif]

Please don't pretend that the Republican education system is any better

I don't wanna get too far off the point of the thread, but I hope you aren't naive enough to actually believe this.

[AoE]

If a teacher can't make up an hour's worth of material to cover just because of a speech, that teacher sucks. Also this is also the reason why we have homework as well.

[Grey Jorildyn]

Parents who believe this is going to brainwash their children should probably get in touch with reality. Not only does a statement like that admit that they have a low opinion of their child, but that they need to take a look in the mirror. Parents brainwash their kids everyday of the year and today's education system destroys creative, outside-the-box thinking, and in effect encourages ignorance. How very lame.

Let the man speak. I'm not one for politics but ffs he's the god damn President!