Now Alabama Attorney General Troy King has jumped on this bizarre bandwagon. Troy isn't keeping his kids out of school though. He's told the school that he doesn't want his children to participate.
Troy King for Attorney General Obama is to address students across America on September 8th. Parents, be ready to unindoctrinate your kids when they get home!
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Troy King for Attorney General
I have to disagree with those who think we should keep our kids home. I do not believe my kids should have to lose a day of their education over this. Instead, parents should call the school, voice their displeasure, and insist that their kids not be made to participate. I did.
What the hell is wrong with these people? It reminds me of a story my husband told recently. He was at work and happened to overhear a conversation where a woman said, "If any of my kids ever come home a speakin' that Mexican shit I'll pop'em in tha mouth."
I don't get this anti-intellectual mentality. It's like people want to be against something purely for the sake of being against it. However they don't want to listen to or know anything about what they are against...don't want exposure to it...not even so that they can formulate a reason and articulate why they are against it.
This mentality reminds me of the scene from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs when the dwarfs first find Snow White lying asleep across their beds, Grumpy gripes, "Angel, huh? She's female, an' all females is poison! They're full o' wicked wiles." When Bashful asks, "What're wicked wiles?" Grumpy admits, "I don't know, but I'm agin 'em."
If I'm against something I want to know all I can about it so as to be able to effectively argue against it. Don't you?
Now, I agree with parents rights to not have their children indoctrinated in public schools. For instance, I never allowed my children to participate in DARE...because that really is indoctrination. I knew what was taught in DARE, having been exposed to it in school and through my work in drug policy reform. And DARE is an ongoing class, complete with a trip to the local jail where children are locked in a cell and treated like criminals. Complete indoctrination. When you think about it all public education is indoctrination to some degree. I've been deprogramming my children from day one of their public school education. But a Presidents speech? I don't think that counts as indoctrination.
I can remember seeing Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan on TV in my first grade classroom. Presidents are on TV almost daily. They give news conferences, State of the Union speeches, interviews and so forth and so on. During elections their campaign ads air around the clock on every channel. They read books to kindergartners and try to be seen with children as often as possible. There's probably even been one or two on Sesame Street. It is nearly impossible to not be exposed to the President of the United States...unless you live in an underground cave and have no contact with the outside world.
Besides, if you're really that afraid of what President Obama might say, shouldn't YOU WATCH the speech and discuss all the reasons you disagree with its content with your children?
PS - Be sure to visit Troy King's Facebook Page and read all of the fascinating and sometimes downright frightening thoughts of our Attorney General. He even has a "Star light Star Bright" poem.
6 comments:
I don't know, I kind of disagree. This is a specific speech that Obama is doing specifically addressing the children, complete with Dept of Education recommendations for making an educational event out of it...it seems more like glorification of the President and govt than about anything of real value. I wouldn't take my kids out of school for it if I had kids as public school over all is all about govt indoctrination as it is, but I'd rather Obama not do it at all. Especially for little kids who are pretty impressionable.
I'll never understand Troy King's weird fascination with Facebook, and I fell out of my chair when I saw Crowe's latest cartoon of him. (I really did. I was laughing so very hard, and I leaned back just far enough to topple over!)
But yeah... I remember when I was in school we watched the president speak at least a couple times a year. What's so different about this one? And the text of the speech will be available online THE DAY BEFORE IT AIRS! Not to mention it's likely to be available to watch live via Internet stream or cable/network news. If it's not, and you're that concerned, you can just grab a visitor's pass and watch it in the classroom with your child.
Stay in school! Work hard! Oooh, scary message!
To be fair, Loretta, I'm sure that if you'd won the race for governor they'd be yanking their kids out because that crazy lady is going to have them all smokin' the weed!
It's not the speech itself so much as the Dept of Education's recommendations to teachers for how the teachers should use the speech. I posted about this in my blog: http://libertydiary.blogspot.com/2009/09/president-obama-to-speak-to-every-k-12.html
'Here are some of the questions they suggested pre-school thru 6th grade should answer:
"Who is the President of the United States?
What do you think it takes to be president?
To whom do you think the president is going to be speaking?
Why do you think he wants to speak to you?
What do you think he will say to you?
Why is it important that we listen to the president and other elected officials, like the mayor, senators, members of congress, or the governor? Why is what they say important?"
From the 7-12th grade suggestions:
" Have students participate in a “quick write” or brainstorming activity. Teachers may ask students:
What are your strengths?
What do you think makes you successful as a student and as a person?
Teachers may engage students in short readings. Teachers may post in large print around the classroom notable quotes excerpted from President Obama’s speeches on education."'
Wow Troy King is killing it on facebook. How in the heck did he get 1700 fans. I might nom but that is very impressive and all those people agreeing with him makes me wonder if luther has a chance. Uh oh we need us another candidate!
Nick, that sounds very familiar because it's very close to the sort of things we were given as "projects" back when I was in school and we listened to Ronald Reagan or George H. W. Bush speak. We'd also write letters to the president and congressmen as part of learning how the country works and how you can communicate with representatives. And I won't get into the level of cool it was to actually get a letter back from the CIC himself!
None of those questions are remotely harmful in any way-- particularly considering the subject matter covered. Otherwise, you might be reading too much into things and seeing something that isn't there. So let's address these questions at face value:
"Who is the President of the United States?
What do you think it takes to be president?"
Basic questions about government and how it's run. If people object to these questions, then I suppose we now know why we have so many people who can't even so much as tell you the three branches of government.
"To whom do you think the president is going to be speaking?
Why do you think he wants to speak to you?
What do you think he will say to you?"
Again, valid questions. And considering the subject material of "stay in school" and "work hard" they're completely harmless.
"Why is it important that we listen to the president and other elected officials, like the mayor, senators, members of congress, or the governor? Why is what they say important?"
Look at this from a K-6 perspective. Again, we're addressing learning about government. Even if you put a political spin on this for adults, it's still a valid question. Whether or not you like a leader, you should pay attention to them because you should be aware of what they're doing. You don't want a public that has no idea what's going on.
"What are your strengths?
What do you think makes you successful as a student and as a person?"
Valid questions pertaining to education and school.
"Teachers may engage students in short readings. Teachers may post in large print around the classroom notable quotes excerpted from President Obama’s speeches on education."
Exercises like these are designed to make sure they were paying attention.
Regardless of all this, these are merely suggestions. In no way are they dictating to the teachers what they can and cannot do. That should be made obvious by the whole "optional" thing. So I fail to see your point in how any of this is inappropriate in any way.
"In no way are they dictating to the teachers what they can and cannot do."
Considering the intrusive nature of the feds in many things, I wouldn't take the fact that it's supposedly "optional" at face value. But I do hope it is.
The point is, is that I'm tired of politicians using children for their political purposes. I'm tired of politicians doing speeches saying they care about something but then don't or harm some to help their allies. I'm tired of the glorification of govt...yeah those questions look on their face nice, but i'm sure that many politicians would prefer you not only listen to them all the time, but trust them and follow their lead all the time. You gotta be able to connect the way many politicians behave and what they want you to do to how they lead and campaign. Don't be silly, of course I want people to learn about govt and the political structure. But, I don't have much patience anymore for politics that involves politicians getting on tv and telling me they're going to take care for me or alternative act like they care about personal responsibility and such when they're policies have little do to with such things. This is regardless of the leader.
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