Since when is the president of the United States speaking to children, urging them to stay in school and study hard, such a bad idea? Every rationally thinking parent and caring adult would welcome a message from the President on the importance of educational achievement.
Past presidents have addressed students: President Ronald Regan, President George Herbert Walker Bush, President William Jefferson Clinton, and most recently, President George W. Bush.
Now, here comes President Barack Obama doing the same thing and suddenly he is about to commit treason, not only attempting to indoctrinate America‘s children on the value of socialism, but also recruiting them to be his little foot soldiers to advance his policies on healthcare and whatever other communistic agenda he comes up with in the future.
‘As informed Americans, we ought to be ashamed of this outrageous behavior on the part of what certainly must be lesser-informed fellow Americans.
‘It begs the question why wasn‘t there a similar outcry or level of outrage when other presidents spoke to students? Reporters and talking heads like to point to the fact that Democrats protested when President George Herbert Walker Bush addressed students. What they failed to note is that the protest—if it can even be called that—paled in comparison to what is taking place with President Obama?
‘Where was the protest when President George W. Bush took his “No Child Left Behind” speech to the schools?
‘President Obama would be the last person to speculate, at least publicly, about whether the ugly side of race—racism—is at play here. But it is very difficult to suppress the thought.
‘Of all the presidents in recent history, his life‘s journey epitomizes what staying in school and studying hard can accomplish. As an African-American, raised by a single mother and caring grandparents, not born into wealth and privilege, he has achieved great things against tremendous odd.
‘Isn‘t he an outstanding example for students? He shares a common background with so many of them.
‘Furthermore, can‘t his speech be used as a great lesson in civic education whether you like him, or agree with his policies or not?
‘America‘s children do not lead the world in educational achievement and performance. The data that confirms that fact is everywhere. Statistics show that our schools, as a whole, are not the pinnacle of excellence. Of course, there are some, but it is not the norm. Many countries and their students are out-performing us on many fronts.
‘A recent report commissioned by the ‘Schott Foundation For Public Education,‘ Lost Opportunity: A 50 State Report on the Opportunity to Learn in America, is chilling and shows just how far we have to go to reach great educational outcomes.
‘Other references which assess the state of education of America‘s children include: the ‘National Center for Education Statistics‘ and the ‘Alliance for Excellent Education‘.
‘The president‘s message that high educational achievement on a personal level and for the well-being of the country is a much needed one. It could be his mantra for as long as he occupies the Oval office based upon where we are as a nation, and where we need to go.
‘So, why the vitriolic resistance to such a needed message?
‘America, we really need to do some soul-searching about this one. Veiled racism is alive and well and it continues to cripple much needed advancement in the most critical areas.
‘What could be more important than doing everything we can to motivate our children to the highest that they can in school for their own future well-being and that of our nation‘s?
‘Let‘s hope that now that all the rage has passed, every parent and teacher will play and discuss the president‘s message to the nation‘s children. It contains life-long lessons.