Posted on 09/03/2009 7:51:53 AM PDT by steve0
The purpose of this thread is to secure a commitment from each local Principal to provide an opt-out so that no one is forced to endure Obama's subtle, presumptuous speech. Below, I will provide a sample of reasonable letters we want the Principal to sign. If refused, we know where they stand and will take the appropriate action against them. Here is an article of how they roll in Colorado. http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2009/09/douglas_county_school_allows_p.php It would be useful if the only comments on this thread are how to do this, report your results and contact information for the press to report and follow-up on.
that’s a good letter.
Just called my kids schools in York County VA and they aren’t showing the video, but will keep a copy in case parents want to have their kids view it later.
But what you're directing towards Obama we all saw directed towards Bush. And we'll see directed to the next Republican president and the next Democrat president, whoever he or she may be. It's gone past partisanship and is now visceral. I don't think it bodes well for us as a nation when a large segment of the population at any one point has such a burning hatred towards the president.
Excellent point and one that could be used in your letters.
You want to see the actual speech before you approve of your children watching it because he can’t be trusted to behave in a way that meets your standards.
What happens when a President gives a speech and no one tunes in because the Schools don’t know what he is going to say...(and they are worried about Angry parents and lawsuits)
I can’t wait to see how few schools show this live.
Keep up the good work!
Someone will have to explain to these students in 3+ years why Obama is no longer the president.
Our school emailed all parents today to let them know Obama’s speech will not be shown at school! They must have had some serious calls and emails to warrant a mass email. (I sent a polite email days ago.) They will provide the link for those who want to watch it at home. A select few high school government classes will show the speech, but these parents will be notified ahead of time, and these students can opt out if they wish. I am so thankful we live in a nice red area. I feel sorry for the children who aren’t so lucky.
Non-Sequitur , Hey you! Get off of my thread!! Don’t want to hear your F.U.D. You are off topic. I asked that you comment on what type of letter could be written and asked that the results be posted. You are rude, you are not honoring my request, and you are attempting to hijack this thread. I am watching you. I am sure you would not want me to yammer on, changing the issue of a thread you composed, so get off.
This us TOTAL BS!c The "default" option should be to NOT listen rt Obama. They're trying to equate a mandate made by an adult, to a choice made by "child?."
So I called Mr. B’s (Brad’s) district office to ask about this stupid video. I actually got a really nice lady on the phone who agreed that the uproar over a President Palin doing this would be OUT OF THIS WORLD.
She said that in our district, it would be left to each principal as to whether or not they show it. AND, the kids weren’t being forced to watch.
I said to you & I as adults that sounds fine, but in reality, when you have a student say “No thanks” to a teacher, it could be real dicey. To which she whole-heartedly agreed.
On to his actual school. I got a typical state-worker !tchy woman...who put me thru to an answering machine.
Uh huh.
I’ll be calling back soon if I hear nothing.......
“...within the context of their family’s educational goals.”
Kenneth Gutman of Lake Orion got it right!!!!
Very good letter.
I just called my kids elementary school to see if they were planning to air the Obozo Show, and the secretary told me that they have gotten so many calls from parents worried about it and that are threatening to hold their kids from school on that day, that the school administration had to call an emergency meeting with the school board to discuss the issue.
I was also told that school funding is based on attendance and that if a student is absent, then the school won’t get the money that was allotted for that student. So as you can imagine the School board administration is in a panic over the number of parents who are PROMISING to boycott on that day.
Great idea. Deprive them of any extra money they get based on attendance numbers.
It’s interesting that in the north, well northeast, 9/8 is the FIRST day back to school; SO if the child doesn’t attend the first day to get “oriented” it’s a catch 22!!
Nice going, ZERO!
nice....i’ll be showing that to my kids before tuesday
Barack Obama has announced that he wishes to address all school students on September 8th, an historic first as no previous President ever demanded. The U.S. Department of Education sent out letters to School Principals nationwide. They have prepared “educational” program material to go along with this. Creepily and ominously the letter and the lesson plan material do NOT mention what the topic of the speech is to be. After parental and press scrutiny our federal employees now claim its just about staying in school. But before the whitewash we can see the focus was on how important, great and inspiring our president is. As one of the preparatory materials for teachers provided by the Department of Education, students had been asked to, “Write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president.”
Many school districts and Principals have already taken action by announcing an opt-out policy for their students by emailing and writing each parent. It has been confirmed that Douglas County School District in Colorado, Loudoun County Virginia, Bristol Virginia Public Schools, Corinth, Mississippi, Independent School Districts, Cy-Fair ISD in Northwest Houston Texas, Keller ISD Texas, Mesa Public Schools in Arizona, and Scottsdale Unified School District in Arizona will all offer opt-out provisions. Even educational professionals such as Tom Horne, the State superintendent of Public Instruction in Arizona, said he's troubled that the accompanying U.S. Department of Education materials “are too worshipful toward Obama” and “educationally unsound.” He further stated, “I think that good education practices are that children should be taught to listen skeptically and to analyze and to think critically, and none of that is in the materials.” The timing, context and location of such a speech is curious. No equal time has been offered to consider other points of view or hear from other “great leaders.”
Yet the lesson plans make clear that Obama demands — for to say that a man in such an office “strongly desires” something carries to the force of a strict command from regular folk. Barack Obama thus demands that the students should agree with what he says, find that it is important and act upon it. After complaints of such obvious politicization of our schools, just yesterday White House Spokesman Tommy Vietor announced, “We changed it to clarify the language so the intent is clear.” In that statement they have justified those who initially thought this whole event was of questionable intent. Therefore it is reasonable to demand that the prior materials sent to you by the Government be destroyed and at the least teachers be instructed not to use the previously provided “lesson plans.” The Government has already admitted to one error involving this ill advised scheme among the other blatant errors and admissions in this “lesson plan.” My strong recommendation as a concerned citizen resident in this school district is that this school NOT participate in such an event, because the exact topic and subjects to be discussed are unknown. It would be appropriate to record the “speech” and decide later whether it is of any educational value. If Mr. Obama wishes to address this group of our community, let it be NOT as some captive audience. No politician has the right to speak directly to our children while refusing to allow a discussion of opposing viewpoints. That is not how we do things in America. The children in a classroom or auditorium have no choice but to sit through such a speech. Nor is it wise or responsible for an adult in charge of such vulnerable young minds and spirits to allow anyone free access to them in a captive situation such as a classroom or auditorium without first reviewing and approving the lesson plan. A plan that MUST INCLUDE the subject to be discussed and what is to be discussed about it. It would be more appropriate to record such a speech and play it later after the subject matter had been determined. See news reports: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/09/03/20090903obama-edu0903.html http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/02/critics-decry-obamas-lesson-plan-students/ I feel it is imperative that the responsible adults in charge of the student body of Virginia High School do what is right in this case. And that is to not ever allow such a presentation no matter who asks to make it. Let them provide a video that may be reviewed for content first. And then decide if it is a worthwhile or good thing to do. Please do not participate in this dictatorial indoctrination on September 8th. That is what it is at this point. Pure dictatorial political indoctrination.
All the attention that has been directed on this issue has undoubtedly changed what subtle message Obama intended to convey. I would also like to know from you, how you will protect from retaliation, those students who choose to opt-out. Without having any information on the exact subject matter of the speech before this issue came to light, we will just never know what was going to be in it. Without a parent approved opt-out provision, you subject your school to adverse budgetary effects if a number of students choose to be absent altogether over this issue. I will follow-up on this letter with a phone call to you and make contact with the appropriate authorities including the School Board. Thank you for your consideration.
1. Also could be helpful to draft a memo for the Principal to sign directed to the teachers. 2. Helpful to draft a memo for the Principal to sign directed to the parents. 3. Useful for a generic draft of a Press Release to email or give notice to local press what the goal is and what is at issue.
Here’s what many of our local ISDs are doing in Texas. Seems the simplest way to say FUBO &CO.
President Obama’s Speech to Schoolchildren
posted: September 2, 2009
“We have received a number of inquiries about whether President Obama’s speech to the schoolchildren of America next week will be available “live” in Leander ISD. Due to the logistics of making a webcast available during that time of the school day, we will not be showing this address in LISD classrooms or campuses. However, as soon as the speech is available, we will place a link on the district website should you and your family choose to view the speech.”
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