More Far Right batshit WTFery
Sep. 3rd, 2009 09:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
veronica_richThanks to ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
metalkatt for pointing this out to me from Yahoo! News:
Obama goes back to school
Thu Sep 3, 3:11 pm ET
On September 8, in what the Department of Education is touting as a "historic" speech, President Obama will be talking directly to students across the U.S., live on the White House website. But some parents and conservatives are blasting the president, calling the speech an excuse to brainwash American children.
Last month, in an interview with 11-year-old student reporter Damon Weaver, the president announced his big back-to-school plan:
"I'm going to be making a big speech to young people all across the country about the importance of education; about the importance of staying in school; how we want to improve our education system and why it’s so important for the country. So I hope everybody tunes in."
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan sent a letter to the nation's principals, inviting schools to watch the speech and included suggested classroom activities. But Jim Greer, the chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, came out swinging against the planned speech. An excerpt from his statement:
"The address scheduled for September 8, 2009, does not allow for healthy debate on the President's agenda, but rather obligates the youngest children in our public school system to agree with our President's initiatives or be ostracized by their teachers and classmates."
NBC spoke with Katie Gordon, a spokeswoman for the Florida Republican Party, who said the party's "beef" is with the accompanying lesson plans. The guide for pre-K through grade 6 suggests questions students think about during the speech, such as "What is the President trying to tell me? What is the President asking me to do?"
The plan for grades 7-12 includes a "guided discussion," with suggested topics: "What resonated with you from President Obama's speech? What is President Obama inspiring you to do?"
The Cato Institute, a public-policy research foundation, issued a press release entitled "Hey Obama, Leave Those Kids Alone," criticizing the "troubling buzzwords" in the lesson plans:
"It's one thing for a president to encourage all kids to work hard and stay in school – that's a reasonable use of the bully pulpit. It's another thing entirely, however, to have the U.S. Department of Education send detailed instructions to public schools nationwide on how to glorify the president and the presidency, and push them to drive social change."
Across the blogosphere, comments covered the spectrum, from critical to supportive, and from one student, a little anger:
"I sent my children to school to be educated NOT indoctrinated." — justamom
"The fact that people want to keep their kids from hearing the President of the United States encourage them to do well in school shows a true level of ignorance." — Firefey
"As an [sic] 9th grade student, I'd like to say that 1. I'm not sure why everyone is so scared that we'll all be brainwashed by the President ... 2. My school is one that is not allowing us to watch the speech, and quite frankly, I'm pissed." — Willbw
Both Presidents George Bush and Ronald Reagan both gave speeches aimed specifically at students that were nationally televised. In 1989, Bush delivered a televised anti-drug speech, and Reagan's 1986 commencement speech and Q&A session was "beamed over public television into 171 school districts," according to the L.A. Times.
It's worth noting that schools are, encouraged, not required, to air the speech. The Houston Chronicle reports that one Dallas school district is leaving the decision to individual teachers. Susan Dacus, spokeswoman for the Wylie school district, says parents who don't want their children to see it can opt out.
In an ironic twist, one Missouri school won't be airing the speech because of a lack of funding. Michelle Baumstark, spokeswoman for Columbia public schools, told the Columbia Daily Tribune, "We don’t have the funding or the equipment to support that type of broadcasting.”
— Lili Ladaga
What do you want to bet the Far Right are going to point to that poor Missouri school as being the new administration's fault? After all, the man has JUST SPENT SEVEN MONTHS TEARING DOWN PILES OF PROGRESS made by the geniuses the previous eight years. Because spending trillions of dollars you don't have to fight a war that is not going to result in a penny of profit for average Americans definitely leads to more school funding.
I remember having to watch the President in school. Nobody - well, other than the students forced to watch - bitched before the black guy got in.
metalkatt for pointing this out to me from Yahoo! News:Obama goes back to school
Thu Sep 3, 3:11 pm ET
On September 8, in what the Department of Education is touting as a "historic" speech, President Obama will be talking directly to students across the U.S., live on the White House website. But some parents and conservatives are blasting the president, calling the speech an excuse to brainwash American children.
Last month, in an interview with 11-year-old student reporter Damon Weaver, the president announced his big back-to-school plan:
"I'm going to be making a big speech to young people all across the country about the importance of education; about the importance of staying in school; how we want to improve our education system and why it’s so important for the country. So I hope everybody tunes in."
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan sent a letter to the nation's principals, inviting schools to watch the speech and included suggested classroom activities. But Jim Greer, the chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, came out swinging against the planned speech. An excerpt from his statement:
"The address scheduled for September 8, 2009, does not allow for healthy debate on the President's agenda, but rather obligates the youngest children in our public school system to agree with our President's initiatives or be ostracized by their teachers and classmates."
NBC spoke with Katie Gordon, a spokeswoman for the Florida Republican Party, who said the party's "beef" is with the accompanying lesson plans. The guide for pre-K through grade 6 suggests questions students think about during the speech, such as "What is the President trying to tell me? What is the President asking me to do?"
The plan for grades 7-12 includes a "guided discussion," with suggested topics: "What resonated with you from President Obama's speech? What is President Obama inspiring you to do?"
The Cato Institute, a public-policy research foundation, issued a press release entitled "Hey Obama, Leave Those Kids Alone," criticizing the "troubling buzzwords" in the lesson plans:
"It's one thing for a president to encourage all kids to work hard and stay in school – that's a reasonable use of the bully pulpit. It's another thing entirely, however, to have the U.S. Department of Education send detailed instructions to public schools nationwide on how to glorify the president and the presidency, and push them to drive social change."
Across the blogosphere, comments covered the spectrum, from critical to supportive, and from one student, a little anger:
"I sent my children to school to be educated NOT indoctrinated." — justamom
"The fact that people want to keep their kids from hearing the President of the United States encourage them to do well in school shows a true level of ignorance." — Firefey
"As an [sic] 9th grade student, I'd like to say that 1. I'm not sure why everyone is so scared that we'll all be brainwashed by the President ... 2. My school is one that is not allowing us to watch the speech, and quite frankly, I'm pissed." — Willbw
Both Presidents George Bush and Ronald Reagan both gave speeches aimed specifically at students that were nationally televised. In 1989, Bush delivered a televised anti-drug speech, and Reagan's 1986 commencement speech and Q&A session was "beamed over public television into 171 school districts," according to the L.A. Times.
It's worth noting that schools are, encouraged, not required, to air the speech. The Houston Chronicle reports that one Dallas school district is leaving the decision to individual teachers. Susan Dacus, spokeswoman for the Wylie school district, says parents who don't want their children to see it can opt out.
In an ironic twist, one Missouri school won't be airing the speech because of a lack of funding. Michelle Baumstark, spokeswoman for Columbia public schools, told the Columbia Daily Tribune, "We don’t have the funding or the equipment to support that type of broadcasting.”
— Lili Ladaga
What do you want to bet the Far Right are going to point to that poor Missouri school as being the new administration's fault? After all, the man has JUST SPENT SEVEN MONTHS TEARING DOWN PILES OF PROGRESS made by the geniuses the previous eight years. Because spending trillions of dollars you don't have to fight a war that is not going to result in a penny of profit for average Americans definitely leads to more school funding.
I remember having to watch the President in school. Nobody - well, other than the students forced to watch - bitched before the black guy got in.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-09-04 02:15 am (UTC)I just don't get it--our kids listen to speeches made by past presidents all the time in school and learn plenty of history and social studies. How is this any different? Because it's live and we can't OMG censor it to protect our children's precious ears? Seriously, people, kids aren't stupid, and the only people I've seen spreading propaganda meant to sway people's opinions and make them hate are the people like Limbaugh spreading rumors about Obama being a fascist and socialist and not really an American and all the other ridiculous health care garbage. If that's not propaganda that causes fear and hatred, I don't know what is.
no subject
Date: 2009-09-04 02:34 am (UTC)Maybe this is one of those things you have to be high on drugs to understand.
no subject
Date: 2009-09-04 03:22 am (UTC)And...that's just the thing...it's optional, first of all. Obama isn't forcing teachers to show it, as far as I know, and I'm sure these people wouldn't be complaining if it was someone like Palin wanting to talk to kids. They'd think it was nice and folksy of her, I'm sure.
no subject
Date: 2009-09-04 09:22 am (UTC)HOW UGLY.
no subject
Date: 2009-09-05 12:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-05 12:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-05 02:57 am (UTC)I did like this bumper sticker I saw today, "FREEDOM, is not free."
Take that, teabaggers!