President Obama's Speech to School Children

[Diane Amberg]

Steve, It's over the heads of the little ones any way, but why shouldn't the older kids be involved?  No Civics and POD anymore? How are they supposed to learn to think and make decisions? Kids need more work on critical thinking skills not less. Next thing somebody will be recommending the classes be split along political  lines? Sure, all the Republican kids in one room and the Democrat kids in another? Before long we'll be back to the very early days with no real school at all and only the wealthy white males could learn to read. How far back are we going to wind that clock?

[srkruzich]

Its not the speech or adressing the kids, it is the "assignments" that at first were going to be required.  Things like political ideology, religion ect are best handled by parents, not school teachers.

Reagan talked about God with the school children. There are appropriate times for it to be discussed by the President.

I wanted my kids to hear differing views while they were still living at home, so I could guide them as they filtered out the fluff and discovered the substance.

I don't have a problem with hearing it.  Just with who is directing the discussion and who controls the dissemination of that information.   That is the parents right not the educators right.

[pamsback]

I wanted my kids to hear differing views while they were still living at home, so I could guide them as they filtered out the fluff and discovered the substance.

That's exactly it Mom70X7, I also gave my kids the opportunity to be exposed to views I didn't agree with for the simple fact that kids don't learn how to think for themselves unless you LET them.

I've always allowed my kids the freedom to talk to me about ANYthing and as a result we have had some VERY good discussions about things others tried to "sell" them that didn't feel right to them.....they knew before I ever said anything it was bull but they had the freedom to talk about it, as a result they are NOT easily led by ANYbody.

Knowledge doesn't scare me...opposing views don't scare me..insulating peoples minds and controlling what they know is what scares me. You are not doin a kid a favor by controlling them that way......for real.

[kshillbillys]

Its not the speech or addressing the kids, it is the "assignments" that at first were going to be required.  Things like political ideology, religion ect are best handled by parents, not school teachers.

Reagan talked about God with the school children. There are appropriate times for it to be discussed by the President.

I wanted my kids to hear differing views while they were still living at home, so I could guide them as they filtered out the fluff and discovered the substance.

I don't have a problem with hearing it.  Just with who is directing the discussion and who controls the dissemination of that information.   That is the parents right not the educators right.

And I agree with Steve. IF my children are going to hear this, it should be WITH ME...not with a teacher. I read the speech and although it wasn't too bad, I was more concerned about him changing it last minute to start in on the community organizing and so forth that he spews. And yes although I am slow and not a teacher and as smart as people from the East Coast, I do realize that George W. Bush was sitting in a classroom reading to kids when someone walked up and whispered in his ear that New York City was under attack. I do remember Dan Quayle misspelling potato or potahto as maybe some other people might pronounce it. I guess I'm just a dumb inbred who likes ketchup on my freedom fries not vinegar, oops i screwed up again, I guess that would be french fries on the east.   Pardon me for NOT wanting to listen to everything the PRESIDENT says. It depends what party is in the White House as to how much respect is given the office of President, because the people screaming for respect definitely didn't respect the last President! Maybe Obama should have been more "respectful" when he was overseas apologizing to everyone for OUR behavior, for US helping them, US bailing them out! Help me out you left wing liberals: tell me what other President has apologized for everything that America has done FOR them, what other President has kissed ass and bowed down to another equal? Oh hold on, before you get carried away, I know he didn't trip, slip or have a sudden bout of back pain, it was just a sudden lapse of memory and confusion on his part of whether he was Christian or Muslim. And before you start I do know that George W. Bush was holding hands with the King of Saudi Arabia. I for one am not letting someone else teach my kids what you consider right and I consider wrong. I consider going to Church to be right. To believe in Jesus Christ to be right. I believe in the Ten Commandments and In God We Trust. I do NOT believe that someone should be talking to MY children without me being present and neither does a court of law. Pep believes that his kids should be allowed to make up their own minds. I hope he has taught them right from wrong, whether the gun is loaded or unloaded, whether you stick your finger in the electrical box or you don't. Whether you smoke this joint or don't. Whether you drink and drive or don't. Whether you have unsafe sex or you don't. Or whether or not homosexuality is right or not. Just a few of my views as a simple minded Kansan. For those of you who still want to bitch at me about my opinion with MY children, I'll hang a little branch of mistletoe on the seat of my pants for ya! Bring some chap stick!   MR. KSHILLBILLY

[Diane Amberg]

So your kids are home schooled?

[ELK@KC]

Diane, I am curious, how many kids do you have and/or have you raised???

[kshillbillys]

Apparently you can't read on the East Coast and you just add what you want. At no place in my above post did I say my kids are home schooled and why would I be NOT letting my children watch the Obama speech if they were schooled at home? My wife and I both work.

[sixdogsmom]

The entire speech was shown on Cspan this evening; did you and your children watch it together, KH?

[kshillbillys]

No, we didn't. We don't watch Cspan much. Didn't know it was on. Thanks for the info. I did read the transcript to them though.

[sixdogsmom]

I watch Cspan a lot; got hooked way back in the 80s. It is a good way to see what is going on that the news people ignore. It seems to be very bi-partisan in coverage, for instance I watched a speech tonight from John McCain on the healthcare issue. Seeing these things firsthand is important IMHO, without being filtered through a partisan media seive. Of course the screamers like Rush and Beck are indeed entertaining, but in the end we are, or should be responsible for our own education in the world, and if we are too lazy and let others do it for us, then shame on us, and we deserve exactly what we get in the end.