The random political thoughts thread (Part Deux)

[wendybeth]

Wow- pretty subversive stuff. It's ironic that parents are keeping their kids home, given the main theme of the speech: Obama's Speech to Schoolchildren .

[Strangler Lewis]

"My ancestors didn't come to this country and sacrifice for their children so that some smartass from Indonesia could tell my children they're supposed to be better than me."

[Gemini Cricket]

I just read Obama's speech. Despite being long-winded, I thought it was a great message for kids to hear.

[BarTopDancer]

It's totally going to turn kids into Socialists and will be directly related to the failure of America. Oh and look! He admitted he lived in Indonesia when he was a kid. He must not be a US Citizen.


I see kids tuning out about a third of the way through.

[Alex]

Well, in a surprising turn of events, Obama's speech contains content I don't consider particularly appropriate for the classroom.

I'm sure it isn't hard to guess which part (not that I am so offended that I'd protest the speech).

[scaeagles]

For full disclosure, I did get this link off of the Drudge report. I guess politics gets played on both sides of the aisle, with Dems even holding hearings into GHW Bush's speech to students.

I have read Obama's speech and don't find anything in it really problematic. My concern now is the political spin that will be obvious (both directions, though I suspect that most teachers do lean left) in the lessons surrounding the speech.

[BarTopDancer]

Newt Gingrich was on the Today show this morning saying it was a good speech and all kids should listen/read it.

Originally Posted by scaeagles

I have read Obama's speech and don't find anything in it really problematic. My concern now is the political spin that will be obvious (both directions, though I suspect that most teachers do lean left) in the lessons surrounding the speech.

It must be exhausting being so paranoid all the time.

I couldn't tell you what way ANY of my teachers leaned and we had political integration in school (I was in school during election years and we discussed it).

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by BarTopDancer

Newt Gingrich was on the Today show this morning saying it was a good speech and all kids should listen/read it.

Wow....I didn't realize you were such a Newt fan.

And uh, I think I just posted that I saw nothing in the speech objectionable. Did you read that?

With this kind of stuff - and I suppose if I have to I'll post other links to blatant bias - I can't imagine why I'd be paranoid.

Anecdotal? Certainly. Could you perhaps find links with a conservative bent? I'm sure (I did say there could be bias either way).

[BarTopDancer]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

Wow....I didn't realize you were such a Newt fan.

I'm not a Newt fan, nor is he an Obama fan. Which is my point. Someone who is such a prominent figure in the Republican party is saying that the speech is good and should be heard.

And uh, I think I just posted that I saw nothing in the speech objectionable. Did you read that?

You may have said nothing in the speech was objectionable but now you're worried about teachers putting a bias on their lesson plans.

Originally Posted by scaeagles

. My concern now is the political spin that will be obvious (both directions, though I suspect that most teachers do lean left) in the lessons surrounding the speech.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by BarTopDancer

You may have said nothing in the speech was objectionable but now you're worried about teachers putting a bias on their lesson plans.

Not now. I believe the lesson plans that accompanied it were part of my original problems and was stated as such. Having read the speech, I am fine with it (though I think it is long winded and rather boring and students are going to tune out). This part of my objection stands.

I do realize that I said "now" in what you quoted, and I realize that was misleading in making it seem as if it has only just become a part of my concern. Sorry for the confusion.