President Obama to Encourage Children to Study Hard and Stay in School

[Doug McCaughan]

Ronald Reagan talked to students in 1986.

Reagan urged the students to stay in school and say no to drugs, but he also discussed overtly political matters, such as national defense funding, nuclear disarmament and -- in suprising policy detail -- taxes. (Read Reagan's complete remarks.) [Source]

I remember Vice-president George H. Bush visiting my high school, Germantown High, and the disruption it caused but no one protested and, despite only select students being in the gymnasium with the rest of us watching from televisions, we were thrilled to have him speaking. George W. Bush is known to have been reading to elementary school students on September 11, 2001.

Presidents should interact with our children in the schools. To have THE President of the United States talking about the importance of education might just be the spark that lights a fire for some students. It creates excitement for the students and opens doors for discussions on civic duty, how our government works, the political process, current events, and I could even make an argument for math and science. We still teach social studies in public school don't we?

I am appalled that some of our principals would even consider denying our children the opportunity to see this speech. Those principals are doing a disservice to the students and failing in their jobs as educators in public schools. If parents do not want their children seeing the leader of their country speak, they can send a note asking that their child be excused to a room without a television during the speech. It's that simple! Do not deny my children the normal experience of being addressed by their president.

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[Debi]

Doug you might be surprised when my right wing self says I agree with you. I voted for Sarah Palin but President Obama is still my president. I find it a sad day in America when people do not want our President to address our children. President Bush, who I voted for, frequented schools across the nation. If what President Obama says I disagree with, then I disagree with it. My children watching a speech from our President permits them to think about what he's saying and be engaged in thought. Same as if it were President Bush or any other president.

[Doug McCaughan]

Well said!

[Mrs. Schoolmom]

I have also emailed all my children's teachers and administrators to make sure they know I DO want my children to participate in the great civics lesson that will come from an address from the President. I hope others, in agreement, will do the same. I feel admin often only hears from those opposed.

[Doug McCaughan]

You are correct. When Rocky Hill Elementary broke their 28 year tradition and canceled Clown Day, they only heard from a few parents who said, "good. My child is afraid of clowns." My child was afraid of clowns but Clown Day helped him beat that fear.We should give positive feedback to the schools.

[granma2]

Ronald Reagan visited Farragut High School and spoke to students in 1986. All children should watch their president speak no matter what their parents' political views are. A president is the president and should be respected. Besides, what's wrong with encouraging students to stay in school?

[Bob Hunter]

In all honesty I would rather have my children learning their class materials, regardless of who the president is and what party he represents, and if I want them to see this speach later it will be re-run many times. I think a lot of the "kick back" on this was how it was handled by his administration - many schools felt pressured. I encourage my daughters to THINK for themselves and although I do not support President Obama or his party if my daughters THINK it through and decide to that is their choice. THINK means investigating what you are told and thinking it through to a final and logical conclusion to determine what an end result might be - something neither policitical party seems to do much anymore. That is why I would just as soon my children not hear the rhetoric from either side verses learning thier class materials.

[Cathy McCaughan]

Students don't learn about Presidents or the government any more? If we aren't allowed to listen to the President, then we certainly don't need to be having pep rallies to sell coupon books taking away from that class materials time.

[Bob Hunter]

I agree with eliminating the coupon book pep rally 100% - my Senior daughter is having a really good expereince in government/econ this year. Her teacher is encouraging them to llok at all sides and think through the processes without psuhing an agenda and it is really helping my daughter understand things currently going on and creating some good discussions here at home. I agree with you they don't learn enough though.....

[Cathy McCaughan]

I can't argue with the desire to allow zero politicians in schools. That is not an unreasonable expectation. That said, couldn't a government class learn a lot by listening to the President and analyzing the speech?

[Bob Hunter]

The teacher considered it then decided on her own not to - her reasoning from what I understand is that she felt she could do more by teaching her material and letting those desiring to see it watch it on their own. From my daughter's description she seemed very "nuetral" in her view. I have to respsect the teacher's wisdom of what is best for their class.

[Cathy McCaughan]

Smart teacher. The message may have little impact on a group of high achieving, high school seniors.

[Vic Spencer]

Bob, I am as conservative as they come. And you all know that I have some very strong opinions about our education system and backed up my opinion with facts every time. So far, we as a nation are not doing well; same with our state and county. We slipped behind many other nations who are able to create a much larger percentage of scientists and engineers, while we have sunk to the level of a Mexico or Kenya - hence the success of imports against our American-made products.

I did not vote for Obama, however, I listened to him the other day and felt that he said the most important things in his speech for today's children, educators AND parents. I find it very disturbing that some teachers decided not to show it. In my opinion, it would do a lot of good if this speech and every one of Obama's points, was discussed for one hour in every single class room, every quarter. Yes, I have a connection to him and his people on education and had it since two months prior to the election. But his people did not change my own investigated conclusions on a single thing. I think that the Board of Education should take the responsibility to make sure that the points made by Obama are not just looked at casually once, but used to educate our kids and to motivate them to study harder. Most of them will be failures at the current ACT rate for life.

I have written about science and engineering advances that are coming. I just want to mention one thing to you all and KCS, and hope that it will make all of you think. As you are reading my comments, Honda in Japan is field testing a walking, talking, robot, that is doing actual work like a human being. It is an assistant nurse, doing an assistant nurse's job in a number of Japanese hospitals NOW. THAT is a job that is comparable to a job that today's high school grads could not do without additional training. The message to all of us should be very clear. What do you think they will be able to do 5, 10, 15 years from now? Your child will not be able to get even the lowest level job, unless your child is university trained in a serious vocation that requires some very serious mental work. I wrote six months ago that this will happen. Here it is -- the first indication that the Japanese with a superior education want to control the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence fields. That will impact many jobs, just like their more serious high school educational achievement and universities have impacted the car industry.

And here we are with some teachers and principals ignoring an important message from the President about this very subject. I wonder if we are intelligent enough any more to understand what we are doing to ourselves.