As I mentioned previously, Obama gave a speech to students across the country Tuesday. My class was one of the ones that watched the speech. After reading the speech prior to the actual broadcast, I was looking forward to the student response. There was no political bias within the speech. It was simply encouraging the students to do well in school, set goals for themselves, and become the best student and person they can be.
The students watched the speech, some more intently than others, but when the speech was over there was a discussion on what the president said. I couldn't help but smile throughout the entire discussion because the kids nailed it on the head. They knew exactly what the message was and what was expected from them as students. "Everyone has something they are good at." "You need to keep trying because it takes practice to do well at something." "Try your best." It really was a powerful speech to the kids and the fact that they could translate what he was saying was even more powerful. The only problem that I had with the broadcast was that Obama did not speak directly into the camera and show that he was talking to kids across America. It really was like watching a speech, but I think it would have been a bit more meaningful to speak right into the camera and right to the kids in the classroom.
Two students from my class were taken out by their parents during the speech. I think that it is sending the wrong message to our students to take them out of school during a speech where the president of the United State is talking about the importance of doing well in school. It is saying to our kids that maybe yes school is important, but when there is something you don't want to hear than it's okay you don't have to listen. I personally am just down right furious that politics have gotten into the middle of discussion about school and the importance of being a good student.
I got go on a whole other rant about politics and my feelings about it and how messed up it has become, but I already got into a heated discussion with my parents about that tonight...so maybe another time :)
I will end with saying that it really was a neat experience to sit with a room full of kids and hear the President talk to them. I know that it is something that I will remember, and I hope that this is something that will be continued by Presidents in the years to come
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I read your previous post about this the other day and then I went and looked at the whole "outrage" debate and whatnot. It's insane. I'm with you Maggie. It's SO stupid that people are up in arms with this. If I was a kid, I would have loved having the president do this. In fact, I'm pretty sure George Bush (the original) did this but I don't remember if I saw it or not. That said, do parents still take their kids out of class when evolution is taught? In KS, probably, but it's just stupid to think that they can be really giving their kids the wrong signals when doing stuff like that. It's like saying, "if you disagree with something, then run away from it". This is pretty much the opposite of Obama's speach to begin with.
ReplyDeleteShame on the parents. I think it's great you showed it!
We actually were required by the District to show the speech. I can tell you right now that half of our school would not have shown the speech if they were not required to. And like you said, it would have been really neat as a kid to listen to the President talk to you. I never remember knowing whether a President was Republican or Democrat as a kid, but what a neat experience that would have been to sit in your classroom and hear the President speak to you(and get out of half an hour of math :)
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