Obama in our Classrooms Now

[OakRidgeStars]

[BluemontGlock]

In Loudoun County, they have left the viewing of the speech to the indivual prinicipals of each school, with at least 24 hours notice going out to the parents to decide for thier children...not a bad solution, that can sort of cater to all interests..

ok...i will play devil advocate for a moment...as when i was about 8, the same age as my son, I thought Richard Nixon was Awesome!...why? because he was my President...and i was an American...and i was taught that you suported your president... i didnt understand politics or even political parties,but my parents certainly did, and they left it to me to come to my own conclusions, and i think i came out OK ...
one thing i do rememeber, thinking back , is that i did know what a Patriot was...and how proud and happy I was to be an American...I also got the opportunity to live overseas and see, first hand, what it meant to NOT be an American...i would like to give that experience to a few people, but that is another story...

so the point i am trying to make, I do not want schools to make a good Democrat or a good Republican...i DO want my schools to avidly promote "being a good American", which, partly to me, means being part of the process...and engaged and informed particiapant, and these skills of listening and digesting information, and coming to your own conclusion, and then being able to pleasantly verbalize your thoughts and views are great skills to teach the young...what better conversation to have after a presidential address than to have your child stand up and have a counter point and raise salinet issues, in a presentable fashion, and demonstrate that (s)he may disagree with what they have heard...kids listen to other kids far more than they listen to adults...

Also, there have been privious presidents to address school aged children, from both sides of the aisle...and i read the text of the speech and it mostly says to stay in school, be personally responsible for your actions, you are an indivaiual with a set of unique talents, be yourself, and be proud, and with all the issues we are facing as a country, we are still the best...overall, some pretty postive stuff, and i am all for those messages, even if i have some questions about the messenger. But none the less, this particular messenger is a person who holds an office of high regard, and i have to respect the postition, and give it deference, even if not the man. Why? because I feel that is the American thing to do...

And, on a personal note, it is my belief, that the President of the United States, if anyone does, has the right to speak to the whole of the American people...ONLY trumped by your rights as a parent to control what your feel is appropriate content and monitor the information that your children see and hear. BUT (and last point, i promise ) In my humble experience you -have to- listen to the other side(s) if you are going to make informed, congent, and cognitive arguments and state your case in such a way that your views can have some ability to sway opinion and would appeal to a rational person...now, go do good things!

let the retort begin...

PS: have i told you all how i feel about America recently...

[zephyp]

Overheard a couple of liberals talking about this on the bus this morning. They were astounded that people were upset and "very excited" obama "addressed the kids directly." Suffice it to say I bit my tongue. I try not to engage in controversial conversations unless I'm invited and this was one that would probably have quickly become heated.