Posted on 09/04/2009 6:40:17 AM PDT by An American!
School districts across Texas are pondering whether they'll have their students watch a national address by President Barack Obama next week.
The speech on the importance of education is aimed directly at the nation's school children at 11 a.m. Tuesday. Obama has asked school districts to carry the live webcast.
Districts in North Texas have received complaints about the speech, and most are not broadcasting it to their students.
"There appears to be a curriculum associated with the speech," said Fred Moses, chairman of the Collin County Republican Party.
Parent Bobby Lochner said he wouldn't mind his children hearing a speech on education -- if that's all the message is.
"On the surface, and if it's kept to at that -- as just talking to the American people and the importance of education -- obviously that is very important," he said.
Many districts are making Obama's speech available, but are not requiring students to watch it.
The Dallas Independent School District will broadcast the speech live on its cable channel. Principals will decide if they want to air it live.
And the Fort Worth Independent School District will have the speech available live at all of its high schools, but students will not be required to watch it. Students who choose not to view it will be offered alternative activities.
In Plano, the school district will record the speech and have the video available to students for later.
PTA council president Cara Mendelsohn said Obama is "cutting out the parent" by speaking to kids during school hours.
"Why can't a parent be watching this with their kid in the evening?" Mendelsohn said. "Because that's what makes a powerful statement, when a parent is sitting there saying, 'This is what I dream for you. This is what I want you to achieve."'
Other districts in North Texas are posting the speech on their Web sites and making it available for social studies teachers to use at a later time.
In a letter last week to the nation's school principal, Education Secretary Arne Duncan said the speech would challenge students to work hard, set educational goals and take responsibility for their learning.
The Department of Education has a list for teachers of suggested classroom activities for before, during and after the speech posted on its Web site.
The suggestions for grades 7 through 12 include discussing the words "responsibility, persistence and goals" prior to the speech and discussing what in the speech "resonated" with students. Click here to read all of the suggested activities.
For grades prekindergarten through sixth grade, the suggested activities include building "background knowledge" by reading books about Obama and presidents before the speech and writing down "key ideas or phrases" during the speech that students find meaningful or important. Click here to read all of the suggested activities.
Gov. Rick Perry called the Obama's plan for the speech "disturbing" but said he would not advise parents to keep their children home from school Tuesday.
Perry said the speech and its suggested activities were another example of the federal government trying to usurp state and local input.
"Nobody seems to know what he's going to be talking about ... why didn't he spend more time talking to the local districts, superintendents?" he said.
The speech will be streamed live on the White House Web site.
The following is a list of how various school districts are handling the speech. Districts are listed alphabetically:
Allen ISD: Speech will not be shown to grades kindergarten through third grade but will be used as part of the social studies/government curriculum for grades 4 through 12. Arlington ISD: Making the speech available for students and parents on its Web site. The speech will also be available for classroom use as deemed appropriate to the district's curriculum. Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD: Social studies teachers will have the option of broadcasting the speech to their students. Dallas ISD: Speech will be live on its cable channel. Principals will decide if they want to air it live. Denton ISD: Speech will be available on its Web site for anyone to view, but will not be broadcast to students. Duncanville ISD: Social studies teachers will have the option of broadcasting the speech to their students. Fort Worth ISD: Speech available live at all of its high schools, but students will not be required to watch it. Students who choose not to view will have alternative activities. Frisco ISD: District will record the speech, and teachers can choose to use it at a later time. HEB ISD: Speech will be recorded as a podcast. It will be available to social students teachers who want to use it in class and to everyone on the district's Web site. Highland Park ISD: Any teacher can choose to broadcast it. Keller ISD: Speech will be available live. Teachers can show it if they want to. Lancaster ISD: District will record the speech, and teachers can choose to use it at a later time. Mansfield ISD: Speech will be recorded, and teachers can use it at a later time. Plano ISD: Speech will be available on its Web site for anyone to view, but will not be broadcast to students. Richardson ISD: The speech will be available on Wednesday, the day after, and optional for grades kindergarten through 12. Parents will need to give permission for students in grades kindergarten through 8. No discussions or lessons will be offered afterward. Districts not listed did not return calls requesting information.
Districts in other states such as Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Virginia, Wisconsin have decided not to show the speech to students. Others are still thinking it over or are letting parents have their kids opt out.
I knew there was a good reason.
Obama is a tool of socialist parasites, while Reagan's talk was a history lesson. I don't think it qualifies as hypocrisy to object to a man looking to destroy the foundations of the United States.
Because, Governor Perry, DICK-taters don't work that way.
Thanks. I didn’t see anything there that pertained much to the actual content of his speech. I guess we’ll have to wait and see just how horrible it really is.
Georgetown said - NAY!
Leander said - NAY!
Notice there is no right to exclude, based on political belief.
Teachers work for administrators, administrators set policy.
The big deal is the lesson plans that the Federal Department of Education sent to all the school districts. Maybe you could produce such documents from other administrations?
Designed to invoke racial reprisals, don't you think?
Well, yes indeedy, that’s what the balance of my comment pertained to. The Teachers as Ambassadors or some such was responsible for the lesson plans and it is an arm of the NEA. The speech, eh. The lesson plans come from my old friends in the NEA. I could tell you tales from the 70s that would make your hair stand on end.
Well, yes indeedy, that’s what the balance of my comment pertained to. The Teachers as Ambassadors or some such was responsible for the lesson plans and it is an arm of the NEA. The speech, eh. The lesson plans come from my old friends in the NEA. I could tell you tales from the 70s that would make your hair stand on end.
Who is this Senor Presidente?
Why does he want to address us peons?
He towers above us. Yet somehow loves us.
How may we help you, after this seance?
Yes, who is this Santo Obama?
We beg God to make Him immortal.
This One we cherish, must never perish.
A new age beckons, and he's the portal.
“And the Fort Worth Independent School District will have the speech available live at all of its high schools, but students will not be required to watch it. Students who choose not to view it will be offered alternative activities.”
Alternative activities? What? Cleaning the toilets in the locker rooms? Writing their name on the blackboard 1 million times? Perhaps addressing envelopes for ACORN or making political calls for the DNC?
LOL... I would not trust these people as far as I could throw them...lol. If my kid was still in school..he would not be attending that day...PERIOD!
Reagan (1988) and GHWB (1991) both did this.
+++++++++++++++++
Did they provide accompanying cirriculum highly encouraged (as they put it) throught the DoE?
What did they say? Stay in School, read much, stay off drugs, you are our future.
Much different than, please figure out the ways the POTUS inspires you, or how do I inspire you to change, or what will you do to support our efforts for change...blah, blah, dear leader, blah.
Since I don’t have any kids, it really doesn’t affect me, but I will reserve my judgement until after I hear what he has to say.
I believe the speech will be on the White House website Monday
Thanks
Sorry, spell check was off this weekend....
It is about federal involvement where they do not belong...freedom encroachment...there is no right in Constitution for a Department of Education. So whether you have kids or not, it still is wrong and you should care, because freedom is not free and must be defended.
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