Anyone for a Can of Worms?
As of yesterday, I heard that President Barak Obama was planning to speak to school aged children on Tuesday, Sept. 8th. If you are surprised that it is Friday, Monday is a holiday, and you have not heard anything about this, don't be. They are not really pushing the advertising. It seems they think some parents might oppose it...well, in our society, things don't stay a secret for long, so oppose it they will. Pres. Bush, Sr. once did a speech to school children, so it's not a big deal, right?
My first reaction was, "I guess the girls can stay home that day." But then I thought about it some more. Here is what I have concluded:
a) Obama is not going to seal his fate by having some sort of "agenda" enlisting school-aged children's help.
b) My children are only 5 and 6 years old, if they come home and can tell me one thing President Obama said, I will be surprised. They will probably talk about who they sat by, what they were looking at or playing with, etc.
c) While I like the idea of sheltering my children from whatever I deem "evil," we actually need to let them learn to think for themselves and to hear things that make them think. If they don't start questioning things at a young age, and coming to their parents for direction and conversation, where will they end up getting it?
d) In general, I like the idea of the President of the United States speaking to my children. It should be something to be excited about.
I have little concern (enough that I will be sure to watch it on CNN and plan to discuss anything my children pick up with them later) about Obama's speech. I I hope my kids listen and I hope they receive a positive message. I hope that it is a good experience for them.
My concern is that I read teachers are being encouraged to hold discussions after the speech...? That part makes me wonder what is going on...
What do you think???
posted by Johnson Family at
4:48 PM
6 Comments:
I agree with you. It is definently concerning and we will be discussing the speech, as a family, after school.
Like you, I am more concerned with what the other children and teachers may say; I feel that may have more influence on my daughter than Obama's speech!
All we can do is ride these 4 years out. Hopefully some REAL change will happen then! :0)
By
Courtney, At
September 4, 2009 at 5:40 PM
My opinion: Bad news. At the crux of this oh so important hupla in DC over healthcare, he decides to speak to the children about staying in school? Really? Nothing is as it seems with this man. What better way to push their socialistic agenda than to begin with the school children. It won't happen over night, but they're planting the seed...much like was done in Germany to indoctrinate the youngest(7-8 year olds) school children with antisemitic views. There is power in the educational system.
I think he is so brazen as to attempt anything. I mean, he's shown that he's gutsy with the variety of EXTREME leftists he has chosen as his "czars." I could go on, but I won't here! So there is my opinion.
By
Darcy, At
September 4, 2009 at 9:53 PM
I have to say, I do stand corrected on one point...when Adah arrived home from school, she had a permission slip that stated if a parent did not sign it and return it, the child would not be permitted to view the speech. I will admit, I think it sounds a little silly to have parental consent to listen to THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...I mean, where are we living?
By
Johnson Family, At
September 4, 2009 at 11:47 PM
Brett and I had a conversation about this. He didn't want them to listen but I felt they should for the same reasons you shared. I told him I would watch it too and then we could have a nice discussion with the kids. We didn't argue but he was really unsure of it. I told him we could discuss it more when he got home. Then I noticed that the letter stated that all of the elementary schools in our distric would not be showing it anyway because of testing that will be going on. So my kids don't have to worry either way. I am still going to watch it. I feel the same way you do, it seems silly that we have to worry about our kids listening to the President of the United States but sadly we need to be aware at the very least. Good post Kendra!
By
The Coolest Allen Family, At
September 5, 2009 at 3:56 PM
Just because he holds the Title of the Presidnet of the US, does not make him a good person to listen to. Children are way too impressionable. Jacob still asks me why he's so bad, because he'sbeen reading about him and talking about him in class and every other child likes him. (last year) It's not silly if you beleive that this man is evil to the core and has an alternate agenda. Everything he believes and does is against everything I believe. As long as I have a say. My kid will not watch him, for he is not old enough to discern that this "nice looking and smooth talking man" is really a very bad person.
By
Darcy, At
September 5, 2009 at 8:44 PM
I am not sure I would take my kids out of school. I agree you can't shelter your children from everything... i like that you would watch it and then talk about it with your children after. That sounds rational to me :)
By
Adam Jensen, At
September 6, 2009 at 10:48 PM
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