Should the President be Given a "Captive" Audience?

Greg Linscott
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Rod Dreher on the September 8 Presidential address to school children

Discussion

Profile picture for user Susan R
Susan R
Thu, 09/03/09 9:43 am

I agree that many conservatives are overreacting, but I also think that this action at first was questionable. I think it is fine for the President to give a speech to encourage kids to work hard in school, but NOT ok to imply to kids that they should pressure their parents or anyone else to support his policies, which IMO was part of his initial agenda.

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/53495] From CNSNews-
…the Education Department is encouraging educators “to use this moment to help students get focused and inspired” as they begin the new school year.

Toward that end, the Education Department is offering a “menu of classroom activities” to “engage” students and “stimulate classroom discussions about the importance of education.”

The suggested classroom activities for younger students – Pre-K through 6th grade – included having children “write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president.” That line in particular drew fire from critics who said the White House was politicizing the event.

By Thursday, as The Washington Times noted, that line about helping the president had been replaced with the suggestion that students “Write letters to themselves about how they can achieve their short-term and long-term education goals.”

Likewise, a suggested question for older students read, “What is President Obama inspiring you to do? What is he challenging you to do?” By Thursday, that question had been changed to read, “Is President Obama inspiring you to do anything? Is he challenging you to do anything?”

By Thursday, the Education Department’s Web site also had removed Arne Duncan’s letter to school principals, in which Duncan encouraged them “to use this historic moment to help your students get focused and begin the school year strong.”
BTW, if GWB had done this, the ones having hysterics would be on the other side of the idealistic fence, let’s not forget that.

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