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Children miss out when schools give in to fear
Friday, Sept. 11, 2009 | 2:05 a.m.
I listened to President Barack Obama’s speech to the young people of our country Tuesday morning. It was an inspiring speech aimed at encouraging our young people to stay in school, to try their best and, if they fail at first, to try again and again, not letting their failure define them.
The president said the students should commit to being responsible for themselves and their education. He empathized with students who are struggling with family situations beyond their control, stating that where they find themselves now does not determine where they can be in the future. The speech said so much more and was only about 20 minutes in length.
Because of all the previously reported flak from some parents in advance of the president’s speech, curiosity compelled me Tuesday to call a few middle schools and a few high schools in the Clark County School District, to ask whether their students were given the opportunity to listen to his remarks. I was told that no plans were made for the students to hear the speech, unless an individual teacher decided to fit it into his curriculum.
Is it possible that a relative few people who didn’t want their children to view the president’s speech, reacting out of fear and unrealistically, influenced the decisions of the schools, the result being, that students missed hearing the encouraging words from our president?
And what of the rest of us who knew better? Did we call our children’s schools, encouraging their administrations to give the children the opportunity to listen to their president?
It appears to me that we live in a fear-driven society, where innuendo, suspicion and ignorance thrive. It is even more reason for a well-rounded education that includes listening to a 20-minute, encouraging and inspiring speech by our president.
The writer is a retired teaching assistant in the Clark County School District.
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"It appears to me that we live in a fear-driven society, where innuendo, suspicion and ignorance thrive."
You should not be so hard on the Democrats.
Yes, in 1991 they held Congressional hearings into Bush's speech to high school students.
Yes, they were full of innuendo, suspicion and ignorance.
However, you should forgive them.
It is possible that many parents have no respect for Mr. Obama because they know he lies a lot and is a very deceptive individual. They just don't want their children exposed to this even though he is the president.
"they know he lies a lot and is a very deceptive individual." unlike rabid repubs like limbaugh and that ilk. too funny. tell us some of his lies and deceptions, please. i need a few more laughs today.
all the more reason for charter schools and more choice in education. the current system seems aimed mostly at a legal obligation to babysit without offending anybody, not at actual education.
http://www.writeonnevada.com/2009/09/ass...
Cato Institute scholars discuss what was wrong with Obama's speech to kids (video).
"The writer is a retired teaching assistant in the Clark County School District."
That says it all...
Patrick, are you ever gonna tell anyone that your employer, NPRI, is funded in-part from the Cato Institute? That puts a spin on your constant Cato cheerleading.
On an important matter neglected by the left-wing "mainstream media" - the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (A.C.O.R.N.), a radical, left-wing group formerly represented by Barack Obama as legal counsel, has committed another outrage using taxpayer money.
Several employees in A.C.O.R.N.'s Baltimore office were caught on camera by two undercover reporters posing as a "pimp" and a prostitute offering the reporters advice on how to evade tax liability and set up a prostitution service using UNDERAGE GIRLS from Nicaragua. At one point, the organization's employees even suggested as to how the reporters could declare the juvenile girls as "dependents."
A.C.O.R.N. has received MILLIONS of dollars in taxpayer money and is line to receive BILLIONS more under provisions in the original "stimulus" package.The organization needs to be denied any further government funding, removed from being involved in next year's census and investigated by the Justice Department for violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (R.I.C.O.) act.
Anyone doubting the authenticity of this story can view the actual undercover video at www.biggovernment.com.
The real outrage isn't Obama's speech, it is what the newspapers didn't report http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424...
black parents protesting Obama over the cancelation of new DC scholarships and the refusal to restore funding and reopen the program.
Fear mongering is everywhere about it today. We no longer trust anyone associated with government. We are a nation of appologists and political correctness; we want to offend no one include those who killed thousands in 9-11-01. We must not offend...must not legislate against offenders be they mass murderers, sexual perverts, deviant and outright criminals, etc.,etc.
Parents feared Obama's alleged speech based on heaarsay, inuendo, rumor and not on fact. That is they way they judge teachers...
Those children who did not see and hear Obama speak about the importance of education missed out ... they are the losers along with their parents who are losers anyway.
These kinds of parents would not have their child miss a Michael Jackson Video ... he is a hero ...albeit, a false hero today. They would spend untold amounts of money to have their kids see MJ perform on stage live...but they will spend very little money or time to insure that they are going to get a quality education.
They only visit schools and their child's teachers when there is a problem with behavior, discipline, homework, grades or attendance...then it is the teacher and school's fault with may require they bring an attorney in tow to insure their child's rights and demand a "correction" by the teacher.
SgtRock:
You forgot one large fact. In 1991 G.H.W. Bush
told the kids to write a letter to the White House on how to help the president.