Should the President Address the School Children?

I have to admit, my first reaction to this whole thing was, “This isn’t uncommon, other Presidents have done this!” I didn’t think this was a big deal. Then I read more about it. In the true Obama fashion, he couldn’t just give the kids a stay in school speech. He has to send out an entire curriculum. Because, of course, Obama knows better how to educate our children about the Presidency than our teacher’s and school board. The reality is that speaking to our children is not a horrible thing. However, sending out indoctrination instructions to our school systems is something entirely different.

These are some of the suggestions sent out by the White House:

1. “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? ”

2. ” As students listen to the speech, they could think about the following: What is the President trying to tell me? What is the President asking me to do? What new ideas and actions is the President challenging me to think about? “”

3. “Students could discuss their responses to the following questions: What do you think the President wants us to do? Does the speech make you want to do anything? Are we able to do what President Obama is asking of us? What would you like to tell the President? ”

4. “Write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president. These would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals. ”

5. “Create posters of their educational goals. Posters could be formatted in quadrants or puzzle pieces or trails marked with the labels: personal, academic, community, country. Each area could be labeled with three steps for achieving goals in those areas. It might make sense to focus on personal and academic so community and country goals come more readily. ”

Here’s my problem with this lesson plan. It places the President and Congress upon pedestals as if they are more important. Then it adds questions like “Are we able to do what the President is asking of us?” How about “Should we do what the President is asking of us?’ That answer might be a resounding “Yes!” The President might be making a very worthwhile speech. But shouldn’t we teach our children to question directives from the government? Instead the Obama administration sends out lesson plans that encourage our children to blindly follow the directives of the government. I don’t care who is in office, my kids will not blindly follow them!

Then they send out garbage like Obama’s speech will inspire them to set goals for their community and country? Ok, Mr. Obama, how about we let Dick Cheney set goals for Malia and Natasha for how they should improve their community and country? Are you ok with that?

The administrations defense is that other Presidents have spoken to the school children. That is very true. However, I don’t remember indoctrination packets accompanying the speech.

Many schools are recording the speech and allowing teachers to show it later. I think this is a good idea. For those showing it live, I do not recommend that parents have their children removed from the speech. I recommend that, if you can, you go to the school and watch the speech with your children. Then you sit with them for the discussion after. If you cannot, watch the speech yourself and discuss with your children how this speech fits in with your values. You cannot ignore the opposing ideas. You must meet them, challenge them and overcome them, or they will overcome you.