To Air or Not To Air Obama's Back to School Speech

[Xaios]

Correct. In this thread, it really isn't anywhere near the point. The point is that republicans are twisting a simple "work and study hard" message and trying to demonize it like some kind of evil socialist mantra. However, upon actually HEARING the message, it's quite obviously nothing of the sort.

 

[JBroll]

This is exactly the kind of rubbish I was hoping the GOP line would be moving away from. The only reason I had to be optimistic when it looked like Obama was going to win was that a Democratic win might lead to a more serious, useful, mature opposition.

I guess that'll teach me to believe in my fellow American...

Jeff

 

[The Atomic Ass]

I know this would NEVER work, but some days, deep in my heart, I wish that we were 2 different countries. "You guys" can be in that country over there, not allowing abortions and having English be the official language even though none of you can even speak it properly, closing all your borders to immigrants and paying for health care with your very lives while shooting each other with your fully automatic weapons that your'e allowed to carry in the fucking street, while "me and mine" hang out in this country over here and fucking PROSPER.

Exactly my plans for Ohio.

Bring on the free market, the inexpensive health care, the open carry of firearms... We'll see which experiment prospers.

 

[Zugster]

This is exactly the kind of rubbish I was hoping the GOP line would be moving away from. The only reason I had to be optimistic when it looked like Obama was going to win was that a Democratic win might lead to a more serious, useful, mature opposition.

I guess that'll teach me to believe in my fellow American...

Jeff

So strange how the exact opposite seems to have happened. I find it hard to understand too.

 

[signalgrey]

As a teacher in Korea, AND a product of American education systems, I have become continually more and more embarrassed by American politics. The whole idea of extremism, either THIS or THIS. There is never any sniff at even approaching a middle ground. People dont want to listen to eachother, they just want to feel that THEIR opinions are fact.

What makes me so sad is that a show like Reading Rainbow, that has been around for 26 years, was designed to give kids a good REASON to read and educate themselves. One of the major reasons the show was cancelled was because the network decided that the show no longer applied because these days people need to be taught how to read.

i repeat. Taught HOW TO READ. how pathetic is that.

As a New Yorker and an American, I know that we have alot of pride, but these days its just pig headed arrogance. We dont like being reminded that we suck at: X Y Z. But the fact is this has gone on for so long that not only do we suck at X Y and Z we are too embarrassed to try and fix the problem..because that would be admitting "defeat"

Obama came to Korea last year and was impressed by the level of education here in Korea, he also mentioned wanting to adopt some of their ideas. To do this would mean that millions of kids would need to be told "you dont belong in this grade" etc..

Oh America, why are you so afraid to look in the mirror and stop pointing fingers.

 

[phaeded0ut]

As a teacher in Korea, AND a product of American education systems, I have become continually more and more embarrassed by American politics. The whole idea of extremism, either THIS or THIS. There is never any sniff at even approaching a middle ground. People dont want to listen to eachother, they just want to feel that THEIR opinions are fact.

What makes me so sad is that a show like Reading Rainbow, that has been around for 26 years, was designed to give kids a good REASON to read and educate themselves. One of the major reasons the show was cancelled was because the network decided that the show no longer applied because these days people need to be taught how to read.

i repeat. Taught HOW TO READ. how pathetic is that.

As a New Yorker and an American, I know that we have alot of pride, but these days its just pig headed arrogance. We dont like being reminded that we suck at: X Y Z. But the fact is this has gone on for so long that not only do we suck at X Y and Z we are too embarrassed to try and fix the problem..because that would be admitting "defeat"

Obama came to Korea last year and was impressed by the level of education here in Korea, he also mentioned wanting to adopt some of their ideas. To do this would mean that millions of kids would need to be told "you dont belong in this grade" etc..

Oh America, why are you so afraid to look in the mirror and stop pointing fingers.

I would argue that it less of an issue of how to read vs. learning the fundamentals of both Eastern and Western Philosophy in order to be able to formulate germane and pointed questions relative to the situation at hand. Granted, I'd not start such a curriculum change until students were in the 10th grade over here.

By the by, getting back onto the topic of this thread, here's the transcript of President Obama's speech: http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/09/07/obama.school.speech.pdf

As was stated previously in this thread, this speech is a more long winded version of what Bill Cosby gave to students in Detroit, MI.

 

[synrgy]

washingtonpost.com

"Oh shit, Laura Bush approved it! Backpedal, everyone! Backpedal!!!"

 

[phaeded0ut]

Carl!, not only did she approve it, but she's upset over the level of partisan fighting (this is a bit beyond bickering) that has been going on over this topic.

Hits my funny bone a certain way that the interviews she's been giving on this topic were done during (after sessions obviously) a UN meeting concerning global literacy... Laura Bush praises Obama, bemoans excessive partisanship - CNN.com

 

[synrgy]

I'm just absolutely amazed. That was the absolute *last* place I would have expected a reasonable objective perspective to come from on this issue.

It makes perfect sense though. The last administration (her husband's) was the one where they made it clear that 'to question the President is unpatriotic', so it ought to be those same people fighting to make sure Obama's every word is heard by every American, right?

 

[damigu]

i feel that the problem is as lee/signalgrey said. but i've long known that people who have significant experience with countries outside of the USA (especially with educational systems outside of the USA) all feel exactly the way he does.

and i think he's right that america in general has become exceedingly polarized along political lines and people are unwilling to find a middle.
recently it has reached fever pitch where republicans freak out about anything/everything obama says and does--just as democrats used to freak out about anything/everything that dubya said did (and, despite the overall questionable arc of his rule, he DID do some good but he got ridiculed for that as well [i mean, look at the post just above mine--someone just turned laura bush's support of education against dubya's presidentship!! [no offense/argument intended, carl!]).

there's nothing wrong with taking up opposing sides, but it doesn't mean that you have to take polar opposite sides. there is usually some good to each side of a debate, and it would benefit us all to pick and choose the best aspects of every system and version of thinking, as opposed to locking in to a single line of thought/action.

 

[synrgy]

[i mean, look at the post just above mine--someone just turned laura bush's support of education against dubya's presidentship!! [no offense/argument intended, carl!]).

No offense taken!

Though, I think my post was misunderstood -- I wasn't saying anything against W's presidency with that statement. I was only implying that basic logic dictates that those who spent 8 years saying "We must support the President" ought to be the same ones supporting the President now.

 

[RenegadeDave]

You don't need to support the president's policy to respect the power of his office and the process that put him there. That, if i recall, is the same argument used for the last 8 years by dissenters.

Without further derailing the topic, I figure I'd throw in my two cents on the original post.

Government (public) schools are widely regarded as a joke. With a federal board of education, the curriculum can become a tool of politics. Now you have the figurehead of the US disseminating his own teaching materials. Bush 41 tried this (the sitting down with the nation's youth), and it went over like a lead balloon as well. Why is it a surprise that Obama's attempt to "sit down" with the school children of America is equally unpopular?

Now, having spoken with my mom who is a government school principal, her parents were threatening to keep their children at home for the day... because her school deals with 3 year olds through third graders... Several of the parents, she said, were upset because to their children, dropping out isn't even an option. They didn't want to the option to even be presented to their kids. I can respect this, and if a parent has a stake in their children's education, they ought to have the ability to opt their child out if they see it necessary.

What is incredible to me about pretty much this whole forum (and as a microcosm of the political world at large) is the lack of objectivity and unwillingness to do any responsible fault finding from their preferred party's policies.

Of course, that's easy to say as someone who supports a party that will likely never see any real power in my lifetime (unfortunately). Ahhh, two party politics.

And because Obama is about as liberal as an elected politican can get but by comparison is not in line with the moon bat fringe does not make him a "centrist". He is a very liberal politician when you compare him to other politicians (which is appropriate). As a person, you might not view him as "that" liberal, but you cannot deny he is a liberal politician given his senate voting record (as short as it is) and the policies he's chosen to champion in his short time in office thus far.

 

[Randy]

You don't need to support the president's policy to respect the power of his office and the process that put him there. That, if i recall, is the same argument used for the last 8 years by dissenters.

And that makes you no better than them, in that case.

Knowing this kind of justification goes on, it's no surprise a lot of the dissent sounds like people who already know they don't like the guy's policies, coming up with facts/excuses to support them; rather than the other way around.

FWIW, I loathed people who blindly hated Bush and just picked every argument they could come up with just to make their case.

 

[RenegadeDave]

And that makes you no better than them, in that case.

Knowing this kind of justification goes on, it's no surprise a lot of the dissent sounds like people who already know they don't like the guy's policies, coming up with facts/excuses to support them; rather than the other way around.

FWIW, I loathed people who blindly hated Bush and just picked every argument they could come up with just to make their case.

Regardless of the party in power, the particular policies that have been brought forth this legislative session I disagree with, whether it's packaged with a D or R wouldn't make any difference to me. That should be a little surprise to you considering I've opposed pretty much everything that I view as expanding the size and scope of the federal government.

I agree the "we should do x because when the other party was in control they did y" is hurtful, but at the same time, you can't expect me (or others) to roll over and take legislation that I principally disagree with.

Seeing as I oppose the growth of the federal government in pretty much every instance, the current administration doesn't have much to offer me that I can agree with.