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Glenn Beck is now advocating skipping school. AP Photo Evan Agostini
The fury over President Obama's planned speech to school children has already reached its inevitable conclusion. Conservative parents are being championed by commentators like Glenn Beck to have their students "skip" school on the day of the President's address. The theory seems to be that students would be better off skipping an entire day than being subjected to a speech from the President.
Let me first say that none of us know exactly what the President will say in his speech. As I wrote earlier the speech is suppose to include an admonition to work hard in school, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning. If the speech really does stick to these themes I can hardly see how anyone can criticize the President based on the content of the message. The speech will be made public so if the President strays from these themes the conservative media can surely call him out on it. I have questioned some of the material released by the Department of Education to go along with the speech as poorly worded. However as I also wrote I can attest as a former teacher that I doubt many teachers will actually use the accompanying lessons to go along with the Obama speech.
Regardless of these facts, I find it hard to believe that parents really think it is a good idea to encourage their children to skip school over this incident. Do parents really think that the President speech, which surely will be no longer than thirty minutes, will be enough to indoctrinate their child into a lifelong Obamabot socialist bent on destroying the world? Are parents this insecure about their own influence on their child that they believe one day of Obama influenced school can overcome all their years of parenting?
At the very least the PASS (Parentally Approved Skip School Day) Movement is an overreaction that will hurt students attendance at a crucial time of the year. At its worst the movement may give students an excuse to take school less seriously. Will students start asking to skip when their history teacher goes over Karl Marx and his influence on history? Will students skip school with parent approval when their biology teacher spends a week discussing the theory of evolution? Will students start skipping when they are taught about Stalin's role in WWII since Stalin is after all the most devout of communists?
Parents and commentators need to calm down and realize that the Obama address will not mean the loss of their child forever. If their children turn out to be "leftists" I sincerely doubt that the Obama address will be the turning point in their lives where they came to believe in the Obama message. Send your kid to school and if you really are concerned talk with them about the Obama address over dinner. That may be the best lesson the child receives that day.
Comments
He is right to keep your kids from this Fascist Obama and his indoctrination of your children.
Watch this video produced fro Obama.
“I pledge to be of service to Barack Obama”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqcPA1ysSbw&feature=player_embedded
Obama friend and education professor has said this in Venezuela of all places, he and Obama's favorite dictator.
"This is my fourth visit to Venezuela, each time at the invitation of my comrade and friend Luis Bonilla, a brilliant educator and inspiring fighter for justice. Luis has taught me a great deal about the Bolivarian Revolution and about the profound educational reforms underway here in Venezuela under the leadership of President Chavez. We share the belief that education is the motor-force of revolution."
"We share the belief that education is the motor-force of revolution.""
Enough said!
Our kids are already indoctrinated in the liberal public school system. I teach my kids a conservative view point at home and have already warned them that they will be getting instructed on how great and inspirational President Obama is. I told them to not feel bad if they are the only ones in the classroom who don't agree with this ideology, but to also stay respectful and not say mean things.
Glen, are you drinking again?
On PASS Day children will learn about the U.S. Constitution, and the well being that arises from competition in a free society, where individual rights are protected. They'll learn that our individual rights exist because we are human. It is government’s role to protect individual rights. This works, because we are all individuals! Government controlled collectives — whether they are banks, healthcare providers, car companies, or artificial carbon emission markets — are dangerous to our well being. I urge parents to take this opportunity to teach their children about our history and Founding Fathers. I purchased a great book at a Tea Party recently; "American History in No Time" A Quick & Easy Read for the Essentials by Randolph G. Russell. This is the perfect time to read this type of book to and/or with your children.
Jeez, you make it seem like GB is shouting from the mountaintops with a bullhorn that everyone should keep their kids from school next week. He did nothing of the sort. Someone called in, said they were organizing it and he said "I love it". That was pretty much the end of the show. When the call ended, so did the discussion of this movement. Seriously people.
Obama is a master manipulator. His only purpose is to try to indoctrinate our youth, like his idol Bill Ayers. I will simply point out to my child that he is a congenital liar and nothing he says is to be trusted. This ought to be worth a few more points of falling poll numbers.
The author just doesn't get it.
I agree Fred! This one line says it all!!!
"Let me first say that none of us know exactly what the President will say in his speech."
I don't know and really don't think it is the best interest for our children not know what he'll be saying. Furthermore, even this author doesn't know how long the indoctrination will last.
Last time I checked, my husband and I are the parents of our children not the GOVERNMENT and certainly not Obama !!!! Oh and one more question, if he can have access to all the children in America, when do we get to educate his children????
As soon as heard about Obama's address to students, I planned on my kids missing that day of school. He is sneaky, shady, and I trust nothing that he says. My kids don't need to go to school to talk about how inspiring Obama is as President. They learn that answer from me and the answer is 0%. He is systematically hijacking our country and it's bad enough I have to see him and deal with him. My kids will be spared. I've notified my school and my friends, who are now also considering following suit. Perhaps if the district's bottom line is affected enough, they will opt out of broadcasting this "address".
Obama-Stay away from my kids!!!!
Why don't we put all of Obama's words in a little red book that everyone can carry around in their pocket and at certain times of day we can all stop and discuss what Obama's wonderous statements mean and what we can do to make his vision happen?
NOBAMA!
"Country First," right?
My middle and high school children have good enough BS-detectors that I will allow them to watch as planned. My elementary kids do not. They won't miss the full day, but they WILL be tardy (speech @ 9AM California time.) Attn Catholics: Sept. 8th is the Birth of the BVM-- if you only have excused absences for medical and religious reasons, this should qualify. :)
Here's what doesn't sit well with me and my spouse - if Obama REALLY just wants to have a conversation directed at school kids, encouraging them to "do go in school", etc... why not have the school announce, "Hey, kids... on Tuesday night next week, the Pres. of the US is going to have a special televised event at 7PM. He REALLY wants you to watch this with your parents, and start a discussion with each other about some important things. Please make sure to sit down w/your parents and watch this." Teachers could even let their students know there will be a sort of quiz the next day. What's wrong with this method? The fact is, doing it in school guarantees a captive audience, and that doesn't sit well. And the REALLY big thing that bothers me about this is if the Pres. asks for the student's help in talking to their parents (as some have speculated he will), because in trying to keep our children safe, we have ALWAYS told them "Grown-ups do NOT need help from kids for ANYTHING!"
It's an indoctrination tactic... get them while they are young, make yourself their role model...
Yes, I'm outraged at all the comments pre-judging Obama's speech as somehow deleterious to children. For crying out loud! I still remember being lined up at our grammar school and walking to a student's house (the only one with a TV in that ancient day) to watch the inauguration of Dwight D. Eisenhower. You guys are teaching your kids to be dunces.
It is a bad precedent to set, that the President of the United States can speak directly to children without their parents being present. I don't care what he tells them. Even if he told them the truth about the evils of communism and the beauty of our Constitution, I would be against this. It is a sneaky, seemingly harmless, attack on the sovereignty of parents within the family, pure and simple. I can almost guarantee he will say nothing controversial to them. It's more about the precedent, dulling our senses to the idea that he can speak to children directly.
Hit the schools in their wallets in whatever ways you can. Liberals like their money as much as anyone else no matter how they present themselves. No extras, no donations, contest your real estate taxes, vote down any and all special school resolutions and be very vocal as to why you're doing so.
I agree Fred! This one line says it all!!!
"Let me first say that none of us know exactly what the President will say in his speech."
I don't know and really don't think it is the best interest for our children not know what he'll be saying. Furthermore, even this author doesn't know how long the indoctrination will last.
Last time I checked, my husband and I are the parents of our children not the GOVERNMENT and certainly not Obama !!!! Oh and one more question, if he can have access to all the children in America, when do we get to educate his children????
OBAMA doesn't have a degree in education....
I send my kids to school to learn: Reading, Writing, Arthimatic. They are not there to have their young minds filled
with "Left Wing Politics". I thought OBAMA had more brains than
to do this. He is getting some very bad advice.
does anybody remember reagan and george bush war on drugs speech shown at school. I believe I was in 7th or 8th grade.........they must of been trying to brain wash us with all their propaganda ..or maybe just educate and send a message of the importance of staying clean. People need to stop trying to find reasons to fight. Our country is in need of working together and is going to go nowhere real fast if serious issues are are not dealt with and to me this is just ridiculous to bicker about.
Ryan Witt would defend the current administration and its radical affiliates if they were caught making love to to a goat. He's a blind sheep who can't think for himself and would follow the Democratic party no matter what.
Mr. Witt, some original ideas would be awesome, but I realize I'm asking a lot of such a non-thinker.
Sounds like the parents advocated this PASS, not Glenn. Glenn does teach us patriots to keep our eyes open for federal over stepping, Clearly they are trying to step in to our children's education. As a caring parent it is My job to direct my children's motivation not the federal goverment. Schools teach and work for US the taxpayers, Get out of my childern's schools goverment and teach!!! Alert any school board of this abuse NOW
This is more than just a speech. Watch the video that goes with it where celebs are pledging to do all the great things for their fellow man and the environment but at the end they pledge to serve Obama and the earth. If that isn't propaganda then I don't know what is. There are also posters given to the kids one is the Obama Hope poster and the other is an I Plege Allegiance to the Earth poster. Not my kids. I will pull my kids out and send a message to the school and beyond.
"Young people have the energy and determination to do important work, and volunteer service can teach them valuable lessons about responsibility, community, and selflessness at an early age," the president said. "Through these efforts, young people will learn how important service is to our nation, and how to get started today."
~President George W. Bush, Sept. 2002
A lot of you give way to much credit to Obama, if I didn't know any better you all come across as if you fear he may have powers to walk across water. If your parenting skills weren't lacking you wouldnt be afraid of 10 min speech. You all probably believe rated r movies make people kill and rape too. It really is sad!
@Brandy
I don't think it's US who are afraid of our parenting skills - it looks like it's Obama who's afraid of our parenting skills, and not so confident in his message. If he were at all comfortable with his message, he wouldn't be delivering it to these kids without fear of having their parents' intervene. Broadcast it at home, right after dinner... have the whole Fam Damily gather 'round. Instead, he's choosing to talk to them with no parents around to balance anything they might disagree with, in an environment full of peer pressure.
Nobody is naive enough to believe this is all about "stay in school and graduate, kids!" That's an awful lot of hoopla for such a redundant message.
@ Breebo
What you are saying makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
I'm sorry for you all if your presidential candidates weren't elected. And while I might not like the idea of one of YOUR candidates making a political speech in the schools to school children, I would not be opposed to them encouraging students to study hard and stay in school, to learn math and science, and not to smoke or take drugs.
Take a breath. The President - who the majority elected - can say those things, and it follows a tradition of other presidents who have done so.
I'm sorry for you all if your presidential candidates weren't elected. And while I might not like the idea of one of YOUR candidates making a political speech in the schools to school children, I would not be opposed to them encouraging students to study hard and stay in school, to learn math and science, and not to smoke or take drugs.
Take a breath. The President - who the majority elected - can say those things, and it follows a tradition of other presidents who have done so.
Students can't praise God in school, but they can praise obama.
Excuse me, I should have written:
Students can't praise God in school, but they can be forced to praise obama.
the last four Presidents have made school speaches. you people are just mad that your guy screwed everthing up and now your party cant do anything but be CONTRARY.what about the presidential fitness test, you gona keep your fat kids home that day too! everything is not as fox would have you belive. keep your kids home, hell home school them, i hear they got libreal thinking in them darn text books and we dont need thinking. we'll just keep it status quo and see and see if we can compete in a global economy.
and another thing; i keep hearing patriot and great american. its code for republican. or if you dont belive what we belive your wrong. that sounds a little communist to me. no room for discussion. the world is not black and white. whats good for one is not always good for all and vise versa. how did the mega rich (ie. big business.insurance companys,drug co. credit card.etc) get comman people to fight so fervently for their intrests. answer. religion, and not just god, but party religion,these people are using your religion, and fear against you.i not saying religion is inherently bad but govenrment has been using religion to controll people for thousnds of years. and you know it. and if you never disagree with your party then you are party zealot. and thats not a patroit or a great american.
sounds like hitler youth
I'm just wondering if the parent's would be allowed to sit with thier child in the classroom while the speech is being viewed. Or is this something that is not allowed?
if you compare anyone to hitler but hitler. you are showing your your lack of imagination and gross ignorance.
I know the big "O" will not be able to indoctrinate my Kindergartener in just 20 minutes, but I will be pulling her out to send a message that I what he has to say to my kids has to go first through me. It's called parenting people. What idiot parent allows someone who they strongly disagree with talk to their kids for "a while." It's the principle. Oh yeah, but I forgot liberals don't abide by any. "Whatever feels good" ;)
You're all correct!! After looking at the OECD results for the latest worldwide rankings(we scored below the OECD average of 31 countries in both math and science), we're doing such a GREAT job of teaching our children the value of an education. We don't need no dang country leader trying to HELP inspire the importance of an education, because after all... half the world's kids are still dumber than ours. So obviously, we're doing a fantastic job on our own. Right?
It *does* sound like Hitler Youth.....
Can you imagine if BUSH had tried that?!?!?! The Left would have been appalled.
Wow. I'm learning all kinds of interesting things today. Until this morning, I would have never thought that "challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning" is the same as "Only racial comrades may be citizens. A racial comrade must be of German blood, without regard to religion. No Jew can be a racial comrade." By the way, as an American patriot who served for ten years in the Navy, but with Austrian lineage, I find your lack of knowledge about my history apalling and insulting.
Wow. I'm learning all kinds of interesting things today. Until this morning, I would have never thought that "challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning" is the same as "Only racial comrades may be citizens. A racial comrade must be of German blood, without regard to religion. No Jew can be a racial comrade." By the way, as an American patriot who served for ten years in the Navy, but with Austrian lineage, I find your lack of knowledge about my history apalling and insulting.
It's easy to see why Beck would want kids to skip school...in light of the rumors about what he may have done to a young girl back in 1990.
Mr. Glen Beck
The Bible says jealousy is as cruel as the grave. You are so jealous that Obama is the President, and you are so hatred of him because he is a black man. You could never be President of the United States of America. You are the grandmaster of the KKK. I hope all of your sponsors and advertisers terminated their services with your show. Last I heard you have lost (11) pretty soon you will be off the air. Good Radiance!!!!!
We decided our children weren't seeing this prior to even hearing anything about or from Glen Beck. All this loyalty to a progressive administration is sickening. Question everything this man is doing! Otherwise, we won't be able to question anything. He is the definition of evil; the devil wouldn't come looking like we all think he would, right? No, he comes as an attractive, eloquent (if he has the teleprompter) best-dressed man. Wake up, sheeple!
I will be keeping my child home that day. Obama will not be using my child for his political gain.
Glen Beck needs to be put in a straight jacket quickly.
So Iola you are going to keep your child home because a Black President will be speaking to your white children? You are a racist. You are a racist just like the rest of your racist foes and friends
Is this 1863?
The world is watching my friends and my foes. We can't win 2 wars abroad and fight a war in Texas with the KKK. Just remember the world is watching. I am going to forward your comments overseas to Newspapers and Magazines, let the world see that white folks who want to rule the world can't rule themeselves any more.
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