Obama's speech on education banned from schools

[Evo]

I think this is just crazy. I really don't know what to say about the people that are accusing Obama of "brainwashing" their children by encouraging them to stay in school.

On September 8, in what the Department of Education is touting as a "historic" speech, President Obama will be talking directly to students across the U.S., live on the White House website. But some parents and conservatives are blasting the president, calling the speech an excuse to brainwash American children.

Last month, in an interview with 11-year-old student reporter Damon Weaver, the president announced his big back-to-school plan:

"I'm going to be making a big speech to young people all across the country about the importance of education; about the importance of staying in school; how we want to improve our education system and why it’s so important for the country. So I hope everybody tunes in."

tunes in."

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan sent a letter to the nation's principals, inviting schools to watch the speech and included suggested classroom activities. But Jim Greer, the chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, came out swinging against the planned speech. An excerpt from his statement:

"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."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20090903/pl_ynews/ynews_pl888_1

 

[rootX]

People seem to think Obama is incapable of doing anything right because he is democratic.P

 

[Wax]

It's propaganda and most of it starts at FOX news.

 

[turbo]

People seem to think Obama is incapable of doing anything right because he is democratic.P

Or in some circles, being PWB.

What is wrong with people? What is wrong about the president addressing children, emphasizing how important education is to their futures? Bush got bipartisan support for "No Child Left Behind" though the plan was poorly designed, levied mandates on states who had a hard time paying for them, and resulted in widespread cheating so that schools could maximize their scores, regardless of whether the children were educated instead of being trained to take tests. The latter is a very useful tool for gauging the results of teaching - it should never have been made the penultimate goal of school administrators.

 

[Phrak]

OK... The Republicans are agin'it. The schools are fer'it. And nobody knows what's in it.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I didn't see where it says it was "banned".

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

striking response to deleted post

 

[noblegas]

I am more concern if Obama is going to addressed the problems currently plaguing public schools in general rather than just mindlessly tell students to stay in school. I am more concerned with the quality of education high school graduates received rather whether or not high school students just meet the minimum requirements for graduation. I would hope obama addresses the plans on how the education czar he appointed would reform education in the US and I would want him to address specifically what education policies have been implemented in the past and which ones have failed at improving education and why his education reforms would be better the education reforms of past adminstrations ; http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/24/AR2005122400701.html; Furthermore, why should one invest 12 years of there life in public schools "learning" pertinent facts that will drive them towards success in life in the future when only 31 percent of high school graduates are considered to be proficient in reading and a handful of 8th graders are performing at an advanced reading level (http://www.reading.org/downloads/meetings/ILD2007_literacy_facts.pdf )
and most students in public schools are not taught american history very well and history is usually presented in a way where you find yourself just memorizing facts rather than understanding why certain historical events took place; (http://www.historians.org/pubs/archives/AmericanHistory_1944/1_Do_Americans_Know_Their_Own_History.htm); I can definitely attest to the last fact . In my high school, we did not even study all of american history, only american history beginning after the US civil war;

 

[Al68]

I would hope obama addresses the plans on how the education czar he appointed would reform education in the US and I would want him to address specifically what education policies have been implemented in the past and which ones have failed at improving education and why his education reforms would be better the education reforms of past adminstrations...

This is exactly what some parents are afraid of - That Obama will use the speech for propaganda, making claims about the success and failures of different policies, claims they disagree with to say the least, instead of just encouraging them to stay in school, etc.

Does anyone have any info on the speech's planned content? It seems premature to judge it either way otherwise.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

It will be posted online before the speech takes place. This will allow parents who object to keep their kids home that day. The "controversial" aspects of the speech have been retracted - that would be the part where Obama was to try to get kids to think about how they can help the country.

This is beyond belief. With all of the lies and propoganda fed the US during the Bush admin [many people still think we were attacked by Saddam on 911], for these people to protest NOW over something like a motivational school speech just shows that they are all nuts. I guess this is right up there with the objections to teaching science in schools.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I am becoming convinced that the greatest threat to this nation is not the debt or the deficit, or the dwindling manufacturing base, or our dependence on foreign oil, or the cost of medical care and entitlements. The greatest threats are right-wing nuts who are dividing this nation with crazy talk and lies.

If the terrorists really want to do us in, just send money to Rush Limbaugh and his buddies. Therein lies our achilles heel - stupidity!

 

[edward]

From my morning paper:

There is supposed to be classroom discussion after the speech. Arizona Superintendant of Public Schools Tom Horne issued a press release stating that this may encourage students to see Obama in a worshipful manner.

Flowing Wells Unified School District Superintendent Nicholas Clement opened his inbox Thursday to an e-mail from a parent saying Obama's address "is an inappropriate attempt to campaign to our nation's youth under the guise of an educational message."

In the Amphitheater Public Schools, Superintendent Vicki Balentine said she's heard similar concerns from about two dozen people.
Much of it, she said, stemmed from misinformation. Some callers thought the purpose of the speech was to sell kids on health care, or to address students about homosexuality.

http://www.azstarnet.com/

 

[fourier jr]

This is exactly what some parents are afraid of - That Obama will use the speech for propaganda, making claims about the success and failures of different policies, claims they disagree with to say the least, instead of just encouraging them to stay in school, etc.

Does anyone have any info on the speech's planned content? It seems premature to judge it either way otherwise.

lol could be any more political than what the great ronald reagan said to junior high school students in 1988

We also find that more countries than ever before are following America's revolutionary economic message of free enterprise, low taxes, and open world trade. These days, whenever I see foreign leaders, they tell me about their plans for reducing taxes and other economic reforms that they're using, copying what we have done here in our country. I wonder if they realize that this vision of economic freedom -- the freedom to work, to create and produce, to own and use property without the interference of the state -- was central to the American Revolution when the American colonists rebelled against a whole web of economic restrictions, taxes, and barriers to free trade. The message at the Boston Tea Party -- have you studied yet in history about the Boston Tea Party, where, because of a tax, they went down and dumped the tea in the harbor? Well, that was America's original tax revolt. And it was the fruits of our labor -- belonged to us, and not to the state. And that truth is fundamental to both liberty and prosperity.

http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1988/111488c.htm

 

[edward]

Get Schooled a conference/documantary initiated by Bill and melinda Gates premeirs that night. The Obama speech is at noon.

As announced last week, the 30-minute Get Schooled: You Have the Right documentary will air on Sept. 8 at 8 p.m. and will feature President Barack Obama, Kelly Clarkson, and LeBron James. The program will highlight the education challenges, life choices and breakthroughs experienced by President Obama's speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz, Clarkson's music director Jason HAlbert, and James' sports marketing executive Latesha Williams--three professionals who provide critical support to these leading figures in politics, entertainment, and sports, respectively. The documentary special will be aired in the first programming "roadblock" of any kind across all Viacom networks, including BET, MTV, VH1, CMT, Comedy Central, Spike TV, TV Land, and Nickelodeon. Cable partners for the television premiere of Get Schooled: You Have the Right include Comcast, Cablevision, Cox Communications, and Bright House Networks.

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/press-releases/Pages/get-schooled-documentary-launches-in-hollywood-090827.aspx

The wing nuts here are going crazy. There are Lots of comments in the online version of the news paper. The names Hitler, Stalin, and Lenin come up a lot. The speech has been labeled as a socialist conspiracy to brainwash our children.

The whole blasted comments page looks like something out of the Twilight Zone. How supposedly sane people come up with such paranoid garbage is beyond me.

 

[Al68]

lol could be any more political than what the great ronald reagan said to junior high school students in 1988

We also find that more countries than ever before are following America's revolutionary economic message of free enterprise, low taxes, and open world trade. These days, whenever I see foreign leaders, they tell me about their plans for reducing taxes and other economic reforms that they're using, copying what we have done here in our country. I wonder if they realize that this vision of economic freedom -- the freedom to work, to create and produce, to own and use property without the interference of the state -- was central to the American Revolution when the American colonists rebelled against a whole web of economic restrictions, taxes, and barriers to free trade. The message at the Boston Tea Party -- have you studied yet in history about the Boston Tea Party, where, because of a tax, they went down and dumped the tea in the harbor? Well, that was America's original tax revolt. And it was the fruits of our labor -- belonged to us, and not to the state. And that truth is fundamental to both liberty and prosperity.

Exactly. Socialists would consider Reagan's speech to be propaganda. (Just look at how he advocated such evil as economic freedom and knowledge of American history and patriotism).

 

[WhoWee]

I think this is just crazy. I really don't know what to say about the people that are accusing Obama of "brainwashing" their children by encouraging them to stay in school.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20090903/pl_ynews/ynews_pl888_1

I think any concerned parents should be asked to join their children and hear the speech for themselves. When their children ask questions, they will be able to discuss the content specifically.

 

[turbo]

I think any concerned parents should be asked to join their children and hear the speech for themselves. When their children ask questions, they will be able to discuss the content specifically.

Finally! An adult.

 

[fourier jr]

Exactly. Socialists would consider Reagan's speech to be propaganda. (Just look at how he advocated such evil as economic freedom and knowledge of American history and patriotism).

seriously, how is it not an explicit political message? how is it less political than a banal message about working hard & staying in school? it's a simple case of fox news implying that reagan's message wasn't political because they liked it (& reagan too) & anything obama says is, because they don't like him. & isn't it ironic that parents are telling their kids to skip school that day

 

[Hurkyl]

This is beyond belief. With all of the lies and propoganda fed the US during the Bush admin [many people still think we were attacked by Saddam on 911], for these people to protest NOW over something like a motivational school speech just shows that they are all nuts. I guess this is right up there with the objections to teaching science in schools.

Who's protesting over a motivational school speech? The news article talks about people protesting over the accompanying lesson plan being pushed onto the schools.

But, I suppose propaganda is okay as long as it comes from the Obama administration instead of the Bush one?

 

[kyleb]

But, I suppose propaganda is okay as long as it comes from the Obama administration instead of the Bush one?

What are you referring to as propaganda, specifically?

 

[Al68]

seriously, how is it not an explicit political message? how is it less political than a banal message about working hard & staying in school? it's a simple case of fox news implying that reagan's message wasn't political because they liked it (& reagan too) & anything obama says is, because they don't like him.

Where did you hear this? Got a link?

As far as Reagan's speech, my point was that it was political. It was intended to be pro-American, pro-free enterprise, etc. Of course it was political.

Who is claiming otherwise?

 

[Hurkyl]

What are you referring to ask propaganda, specifically?

I was jabbing at Ivan's comments. "Propaganda" isn't the right word for what the lesson plans described in the news article are being accused of.

 

[kyleb]

So, what exactly are you suggesting Ivan believes "is okay as long as it comes from the Obama administration instead of the Bush one"?

 

[fourier jr]

Where did you hear this? Got a link?

As far as Reagan's speech, my point was that it was political. It was intended to be pro-American, pro-free enterprise, etc. Of course it was political.

depends on how you spin it i guess. is that not anti-government propaganda? sounds pretty simple reagan propaganda = good, obama propaganda = bad

 

[Al68]

Where did you hear this? Got a link?

As far as Reagan's speech, my point was that it was political. It was intended to be pro-American, pro-free enterprise, etc. Of course it was political.

is that not anti-government propaganda?

No. Reagan's speech wasn't anti-government, it was anti-socialist government. There's a big difference.

sounds pretty simple reagan propaganda = good, obama propaganda = bad

Well, I personally believe anti-socialist, pro-freedom propaganda is good, yes.

As far as Obama's speech, I don't know what it contains, so I couldn't say. Rumor has it he has decided to take any propaganda out of it.

 

[Galteeth]

As someone who is sympathetic to a right wing, libertarian point of view, i agree this is nuts.

I can understand the underlying arguments one could make; from the constitutionsalist "federal government shouldn't be involved in the schools", all the way to the anarchist "the president who rules by means of violence shouldn't be respected."

But the reaction to this, given the state of current affairs, makes no sense. Talk about putting the cart before the horse. I have a hard time believing these people have taken such a sudden hard radical turn towards a constitutionalist or anarcist position. Even if they have, a "stay in school kids" speech is pretty low on the outrage list. If you were concerned about these issues, a more logical target would be things like the no child left behind act, or even the notion of government schools althogether.

This stinks of the worse kind of mindless reactionaryism. It is unfortunate that Glenn beck's cult is giving people who don't trust the government a bad name.

 

[Al68]

I have a hard time believing these people have taken such a sudden hard radical turn towards a constitutionalist or anarcist position.

I don't know who you are referring to, but lumping constitutionalist and anarchist positions together seems odd. There's an obvious difference between being against an outlaw government and being against any government.

Of course neither position seems relevant to this topic. It's just a speech.

 

[Galteeth]

I don't know who you are referring to, but lumping constitutionalist and anarchist positions together seems odd. There's an obvious difference between being against an outlaw government and being against any government.

Of course neither position seems relevant to this topic. It's just a speech.

Let me put it a different way: I'm not sure where these people are coming from. I was giving hypothetical political motivations for the protest. It seems to be associated with a "right wing" point of view. My point was, even in the context of concerns about socialism or government encroachment on schools, this target doesn't make sense.

 

[Al68]

Let me put it a different way: I'm not sure where these people are coming from. I was giving hypothetical political motivations for the protest. It seems to be associated with a "right wing" point of view. My point was, even in the context of concerns about socialism or government encroachment on schools, this target doesn't make sense.

I understand, my remark was only about lumping constitutionalists with anarchists.

I haven't heard anyone suggest that Obama's speech should be "banned" or prohibited, and no one has provided a link to any such suggestion, so I can only assume that the claim was fabricated.

I've only heard suggestions that Obama shouldn't use the speech to tout his education agenda, that many parents disagree with. And my understanding is that he decided not to, anyway.

This thread seems to be much ado about nothing to me.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

But David, you know, you said, it's a firestorm. And we live in the age of firestorms. You know, today, or this week, it's the president speaking in school. What it needs is for people to stand up and say that's flat out stupid, OK? That's flat out stupid what you're talking about. The president of the United States, addressing schoolchildren in this country to study hard, work hard because that's the way you advance in today's global economy. And instead of that, we kind of dance around it, you know. It's flat out stupid.

- Tom Friedman
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32703935/ns/meet_the_press/page/4/

 

[Hurkyl]

- Tom Friedman
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32703935/ns/meet_the_press/page/4/

What are you trying to say, Ivan?

 

[kyleb]

I am fairly sure he is suggesting there is no intellectual basis for hostility towards the plans for Obama's speech. I got the impression you were trying to say otherwise previously, but you haven't rightly been forthcoming with your position.

 

[Jasongreat]

People seem to think Obama is incapable of doing anything right because he is democratic.P

IMHO I think Obama is incapable of doing anything right because of the empirical evidence.

 

[Hurkyl]

I am fairly sure he is suggesting there is no intellectual basis for hostility towards the plans for Obama's speech.

Oh, so it's just a "They're wrong. Nyah nyah!" type post?

I got the impression you were trying to say otherwise previously, but you haven't rightly been forthcoming with your position.

My primary agenda was to make people aware that the controversy was not about Obama speaking, but about the accompanying lesson plans. This was successful. (whether or not I actually helped)

My secondary agenda is to get Ivan to stop using argument forms that boil down to "It's okay because it's Obama" and the diversionary "hey look, the Bush administration was bad".

 

[Al68]

My secondary agenda is to get Ivan to stop using argument forms that boil down to "It's okay because it's Obama" and the diversionary "hey look, the Bush administration was bad".

Good luck with that.

 

[jgens]

Since it doesn't look like anyone has posted this, here's a transcript of the speech: http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/09/07/obama.school.speech.pdf

 

[jgens]

My primary agenda was to make people aware that the controversy was not about Obama speaking, but about the accompanying lesson plans. This was successful. (whether or not I actually helped)

This CNN article suggests that some people are upset about the idea of Obama addressing the nation's children in general: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/07/obama.school.speech/index.html

Granted, the most severe criticism I've heard has been about the accompanying lesson plans.

 

[Hurkyl]

This CNN article suggests that some people are upset about the idea of Obama addressing the nation's children in general: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/07/obama.school.speech/index.html

Interesting. I hadn't seen this; I was going by the article in the opening post.

If I interpret this article correctly, it seems that issues with the speech itself were mainly because it was a big question mark. Aside from the lesson plans, has anything persisted since the text of the speech was made public?

 

[kyleb]

Oh, so it's just a "They're wrong. Nyah nyah!" type post?

Laking any evidence to support the contrary position, that is all one rightly can do here.

My primary agenda was to make people aware that the controversy was not about Obama speaking, but about the accompanying lesson plans. This was successful. (whether or not I actually helped)

Yet, as jgens pointed out, there are people taking issue with both. Regardless, it would be helpful if you could explain the "why" here, which you seem unwilling to do.

My secondary agenda is to get Ivan to stop using argument forms that boil down to "It's okay because it's Obama" and the diversionary "hey look, the Bush administration was bad".

That isn't Ivan's argument.

 

[Al68]

Since it doesn't look like anyone has posted this, here's a transcript of the speech: http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/09/07/obama.school.speech.pdf

So, after all of these posts, I get to be the first one to comment on the (current) actual speech? OK.

While I could nitpick minor details, the fact is that those concerned parents don't have much to worry about. It's pretty harmless.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

the fact is that those concerned parents don't have much to worry about. It's pretty harmless.

In other words, all of the uproar was stupid.

Was it Limbaugh who said, "He is brainwashing kids like Hitler did"?

Edit: That was Mark Shannon, not Limbaugh.

 

[turbo]

In fact the "concerned" (brainwashed) parents had nothing to worry about. As expected, it will be an inspirational speech about the value of education, urging students to take responibility for their educational outcomes. All the "no child left behind" "voucher" "charter school" gimmicks do nothing if the students are not motivated to take advantage of our educational system. That's a pretty important message.

The right-wing nuts that demonize Obama and criticize him without any clue about his intentions are troublemakers who want our president to fail, and want to convince weak-minded voters that in fact he has already failed. Will the "liberal" media cover the back-story and expose the liars for what they are? Don't hold your breath. The "liberal" media is a fiction made up to describe any organization that is to the left of Atilla the Hun, and they will not cover the lies and duplicity of the right for fear of being attacked. The "liberal" media are in fact owned by large corporations whose administrators often have more in common with the neo-cons than with any liberal or progressive group.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

No doubt about it Turbo. Some of these people who HATE Obama, and scary numbers of them, have been brainwashed.

 

[WhoWee]

In other words, all of the uproar was stupid.

Was it Limbaugh who said, "He is brainwashing kids like Hitler did"?

Edit: That was Mark Shannon, not Limbaugh.

On the other hand, it demonstrates that people are finally starting to examine Obama closely.

 

[OmCheeto]

This just in:

http://www.wftv.com/countybycounty/20767220/detail.html"
Posted: 11:15 pm EDT September 6, 2009
OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. -- Children in Osceola County will be able to watch President Barack Obama's address after all.

An earlier statement from the Osceola County school district indicated it did not have the bandwidth to show the online version to all students, a district official said.

Recent media reports stating the district had banned the speech were incorrect, a district spokeswoman told WFTV.

Oh my. Googling "Obama's speech on education banned from schools" brings up PF as the number 2 hit. I think we need to get a life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/V3FnpaWQJO0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/V3FnpaWQJO0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

 

[Hurkyl]

In other words, all of the uproar was stupid.

Erm... so the lesson is we should never be wary of government, just in case it turns out it's all okay?

 

[OmCheeto]

Erm... so the lesson is we should never be wary of government, just in case it turns out it's all okay?

I don't know how Ivan would answer the question, but I'd say we should always be wary of the government, regardless of the president's cosmic origins.

 

[noblegas]

In fact the "concerned" (brainwashed) parents had nothing to worry about. As expected, it will be an inspirational speech about the value of education, urging students to take responibility for their educational outcomes. All the "no child left behind" "voucher" "charter school" gimmicks do nothing if the students are not motivated to take advantage of our educational system. That's a pretty important message.

The right-wing nuts that demonize Obama and criticize him without any clue about his intentions are troublemakers who want our president to fail, and want to convince weak-minded voters that in fact he has already failed. Will the "liberal" media cover the back-story and expose the liars for what they are? Don't hold your breath. The "liberal" media is a fiction made up to describe any organization that is to the left of Atilla the Hun, and they will not cover the lies and duplicity of the right for fear of being attacked. The "liberal" media are in fact owned by large corporations whose administrators often have more in common with the neo-cons than with any liberal or progressive group.

Yep same old same old. Obama will probably give a similar speech that other presidents have given to students in the past;Stay in school,be a good citizen, ... in other words, never acknowledge why public school is a complete disaster right now, why on average the government invest on average $9000 per year per student , which amounts to almost $100000 for attending public school for 13 years, yet there are students who are graduating with subpar reading skills and students who probably do not know what the bill of rights are and what our 3 branches of government are; This is$100,000 practically thrown out the window; Can you imagine what you it would be like if you investing $100000 in something and got nothing in return? It would be like a pomzi scheme! Students will continued to be screwed by the public education system if such a pattern continues;

There might be some "right wing nuts" that are being paranoid about obama address to a group of school children ; I really don't know , I did not read the original report that many have said has change; At the same time, I see a lot of left wingers labeling right wingers who questioned some of the policies that obama plans to implement as paronoid and not right wingers who have legitimate concerns about the some of the presidents initiaitves; And many left wingers seem to be blindly accepting some of obama's policy simply because
he is one of there own; Right wingers would do the same thing if bush were in office;

The "liberal" media are in fact owned by large corporations whose administrators often have more in common with the neo-cons than with any liberal or progressive group.

The liberal media is a fiction? Are you serious? Are you aware that 90 percent of journalists considered themselves democratic?(http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19113485)

...MSNBC.com identified 143 journalists who made political contributions from 2004 through the start of the 2008 campaign, according to the public records of the Federal Election Commission. Most of the newsroom checkbooks leaned to the left: 125 journalists gave to Democrats and liberal causes. Only 16 gave to Republicans. Two gave to both parties ...

Have you been watching MSNBC lately ?; They don't have any news reporters on their channel, just a bunch of leftist pundits who try to portray one political viewpoint in each of their showsl

 

[Hurkyl]

Yep same old same old. Obama will probably give a similar speech that other presidents have given to students in the past;Stay in school,be a good citizen, ... in other words, never acknowledge why public school is a complete disaster right now ...

And why would he? Whether true or false, it's a completely inappropriate topic for this speech.

 

[noblegas]

And why would he? It would be a completely inappropriate topic for this address.

why give a speech if you aren't even going to address the problems with the school system? Why tell students to stay in school if the public school system is generally doing such a crappy job of teaching its students? Telling students" To stay in school, and work hard" are just empty words to evoke a false sense of positive thinking;