President Barack Obama will address students
President Barrack Obama is scheduled to address the country’s school children tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. Several north Atlanta school systems have posted updates about the president’s address on their websites. According to a letter from Secretary Anre Duncan to the nation’s school principals, “President Barack Obama will deliver a national address to the students of America. During this special address, the president will speak directly to the nation’s children and youth about persisting and succeeding in school. The president will challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning.”
The country remains divided on this address and its timing. Parents are threatening to keep their children home from school on Tuesday. In Atlanta, several of the county school systems have posted notices about this controversial address on their websites.
Cherokee County:
The Cherokee County School District focuses on instruction and teaching the State’s new curriculum, the Georgia Performance Standards, so that students can achieve - and exceed – their personal and educational goals. Daily instructional time is a precious resource; therefore, schools are under no obligation to watch the hour long address, either through the Web cast or on C-SPAN. Teachers who plan to show President Obama’s speech will notify parents ahead of time, as well as provide an opportunity for students to opt out of the broadcast. Although suggested lesson plans have been shared by the U.S. Department of Education, there are no plans or requirements to use them since they are not a part of the required curriculum. No child will be penalized if he or she does not participate in the broadcast.
Cobb County:
The District has confirmed that the speech will remain available for viewing on the White House web site following the live broadcast, which provides an excellent opportunity for parents to watch this historic presentation with their children at home if they so choose. We encourage schools to recommend this option, and to also provide information to parents about how they can view the speech with their children.
Schools are not required to show the live broadcast. If schools decide they want to incorporate the speech into their curricular activities, they may do so on a voluntary basis provided they notify parents in advance and provide an opportunity for students to opt out of the broadcast. Students who do not participate will not be penalized in any way.
Dekalb County:
There is nothing currently posted on the website concerning the president’s address.
Forsyth County:
President Obama’s back-to-school address to students will not be shown live on Tuesday, September 8 because of the 12:00 lunch hour. However, FCS families will have access to view the recorded message online at www.forsyth.k12.ga.us.
Teachers will also have access to video of the speech to preview and use for instructional purposes when it fits into the curriculum. If a teacher chooses to show the speech in class, parents/students will be notified. More information about the speech can be found at www.ed.gov.
Fulton County:
As parents know, the Fulton County School System focuses on instruction and teaching the state’s new curriculum, the Georgia Performance Standards, so that students can achieve – and exceed – their personal and educational goals. Daily instructional time is a precious resource; therefore, schools are under no obligation to watch the address, either through the webcast or on C-SPAN.
In the event a school plans to show the broadcast, parents will be notified ahead of time as well as be provided an opportunity to opt out their students through the form below. Although suggested lesson plans have been shared, they will not be used since they are not a part of the required state curriculum. No child will be penalized if he or she does not participate in the broadcast.
Families also have the option of watching the president’s remarks with their children outside of the school day, as the speech is expected to be available on both the White House and C-SPAN web sites after the broadcast.
Gwinnett County:
There is nothing currently posted on the website concerning the president’s address.
The notices are a bit confusing. My own children attend north Fulton schools, and since I did not receive advance notice of the address, I am assuming their schools are not planning to air it during class time. However, if you do not want your child to view the address, you should call the school tomorrow morning and simply ask if it will be aired during the school day.
The president’s address will be broadcast live on the White House Web site and on C-SPAN at 12:00 p.m., ET on Tuesday, September 8, 2009.
THIS JUST IN:
Prepared text of Obama's speech to school students was just published by the Associated Press.
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Comments
What is Glynn County's stand on the President's speech in our schools? Are our schools broadcasting this speech and if so, what will happen when the children of Glynn County do not show up for school or are taken out early due to the speech?
I finished reading Obama's prepared "school" speech, several times. English teachers, those who are talented, will have fun with his speech.
This English professor counts 72 serious grammar errors, a dozen unacceptable writing style errors, 3 run-on sentences and a few logical fallacies. No spelling errors, though!
Most of Obama's grammar errors are inexcusable.
Overall, his theme is self-aggrandizing, written at an early high school language skill level and contains a few hints of partisan politics.
Obama needs to hire himself a professional ghost writer.
Interesting to me, personally, English is not my native tongue yet I know much better than to make those language usage mistakes made by Barack Obama.
Okpulot Taha
Choctaw Nation
Puma Politics
Okpulot Taha: Wow. Get over yourself.
For those with children in Fulton County that choose to opt out, you can go to the Fulton County School website, click on the link to President Obama's address, and at the bottom is an opt-out form for you to send with your child tomorrow.
Janet - I just checked Glynn county's school website, and I did not see any notice posted about Obama's speech to students. I suggest you check it later, or call your school in the morning. Thanks for reading.
Marxist Community Organizer
Our kids will be out of school tomorrow they have contracted the red-white and blue flu. It's not really about the speech anymore it's about branding. obama is on every channel every day for one reason or another, he's on billboards, commercials, the radio, public service announcements, it's all obama, all the time. Now he can ingrain himself into the minds of our children. If you have cola A and cola B, Cola A does little to no advertising, but cola B is everywhere you look, on sides of buses, all over tv, and all over radio, in the drink machines at school, cool logos for your phones and ipods, which cola when the children get a chance to select one side by side do you really think they will take? This is what it is about, why does obama not just put the speech on all of his kiss Ack news shows, and let parents choose whether they want to watch the speech with their children together, then that way parents can answer any questions they may have, why in the school, captive audience!
For those of you opposed to Obama addressing our students, are you aware that George H Bush & Ronald Reagen had similar addresses broadcast into schools? I shake my head and am saddened by this blatent example of opposition simply for the sake of opposition. My school will cowardly not show the speech but I will be recording it in case when my kids are Juniors or Seniors we don't have a President who is as concerned about the future of our country.
What's the downside of asking the children to take accountability for their future, and the future of our nation?
I've read the transcript. It's an inspirational speech by the President. It so benign. You are protesting a speech that inspires by saying "Work hard, study, set goals to achieve your dreams, and don't give up or drop out."
The President is trying to inspire our youth to work harder for the American dream so our country, which is steadily falling behind other countries academically, can be stronger in the future. If you are against that, you have pretty much lost sight of reality and are just contrarians. Thanks for ruining what could have been an educational, inspirational moment. If Bush said the EXACT same words, minus the part about growing up poor and struggling, you would be waving flags and weeping with joy. You are being sickeningly partisan where it does not belong. I did not like Bush, but if they wanted to show Bush saying this exact speech and it inspired the kids, more power to him! I wouldn't waste my energy and make myself look foolish protesting it.
Amy B - I never stated that I was opposed to the speech. I was relaying the notices from the local school systems. I agree with you, that as the speech stands, it is inspiring. However, we never saw the earlier drafts prior to the "uproar." I'm sure it was toned down. Also, I did not agree with the lectures and lesson plans that were sent to teachers for further discussion. As it stands, the speech is benign, and reflects what parents often discuss with their children regularly.
barack obama is cool
I'm on the same page as Blueskies! Communist pig! Were any of you aware that when Russia was communist, and Cuba which it still is, the face of their communist leaders were constantly splattered EVERYWHERE! Huge billboards, on every light post, on every wall, any available wall space. In Cuba still, Castro has one particular channel which is on 24/7 with old & new speeches, just in case you forget who's in charge. Obama is doing the same things, it's just much more sophisticated, much more advanced. It's like the frog in the boiling water, if you throw it while burning it will jump right out, but if you put it in the water and gradually increase the heat it will cook to death. Get the picture- we're getting cooked!
I love how all of you are scared of "Communist & Socialist", you don't even know the definition of what either one is. Get off your back side and read, educate yourself, stop drinking the coolaid. Make a decision for yourself, this maybe the first time in your life you actually have.
IS THE WHITE MAN SO FEARFUL OF ANSWERING TO A BLACK MAN THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THESE UNITED STATES CANNOT SPEAK TO THE CHILDREN OF AMERICA. ISN'T THE USA FLAG, GRAND...ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS WAVING,(NOTION OF) FREEDOM. WHAT BETTER WAY TO HAVE THE CHILDREN OF THE U. S. OF A. THINK FOR THEMSELVES THAN BY LISTENING TO THE GREASTEST LEADER OF OUR TWENTY FIRST CENTURY--PRESIDENT BARACK H. OBAMA. IS..ISN'T HE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA? YES HE IS! GIVE PEACE A CHANCE IF, YOUR NOT GOING TO GIVE OUR PRESIDENT A CHANCE. THOSE THAT OPPOSE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA--YOU WILL SEE..HOW GREAT HE IS..STOP HATING FOR A MOMENT AND TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT THE MAN, THE CHARACTER FOR WHICH THE PRESIDENT STANDS FOR--YOU WILL SEE, THE WORLD TRANSFORM TO BE A BETTER PLACE FOR YOU FOR ME FOR OUR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES YOUNG AND OLD. KEEP THE FAITH. BY THE WAY, I AM ALL THE WAY WITH ALL THAT THE PRESIDENT ASKS OF US TO DO AND BE FOR OUR COUNTRY. AMERICA IS THE BEST. BE GREAT!
LEAVE THE PRESIDENT ALONE. LET HIM DO HIS JOB. YOUR VOTE COUNTED. WHY IS THEIR SO MUCH HATE AGAINST THE FAMILY OF AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THOSE STUDENTS NOT SHOWING UP FOR SCHOOL THE DAY THE PRESIDENT SPEAKS TO ALL YOUTH AND FAMILIES ACROSS THE U S OF A; THOSE STUDENTS SHOULD GET AN ABSENCE JUST LIKE ANY OTHER DAY MISSED UNEXCUSED. SCHOOL IS IN SESSION. LET ALL STUDENTS LIVE A LITTLE AND BE IN SCHOOL WITH THEIR PEERS AND FRIENDS THAT DAY AND STRIVING TO HAVE A PERFECT ATTENDANCE THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR--.WOULD YOU RATHER THAT I COME TO YOUR SCHOOLS AND TALK TO YOUR STUDENTS ABOUT WHAT OUR PRESIDENT NEEDS TO SAY TO OUR NATION OF YOUTH. ARE YOU AFRAID FOR YOUR CHILDREN TO LISTEN TO OUR PRESIDENT TALK TO THEM? OR ARE YOU MORE AFRAID THAT YOUR CHILDREN WILL THINK FOR THEMSELVES AND LOVE WHAT THE PRESIDENT HAS TO SAY TO THEM? OR IS IT...WHATS THE PROBLEM? ARE YOU AFRAID THAT YOUR CHILDREN MAY GET ALONG--SOMEDAY STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT. OWN UPTO THE TRUTH
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