I strongly believe that all US presidents should be broadcast in schools for our children to hear. This is our President, to be accorded all honor and respect due the office of the President of the United States -- regardless of party, gender, religion, political agenda or shoe size.

For decades, the words of our presidents have been broadcast to school children. They've delivered their message over radio and television in times of both war and peace. They've spoken words of anger, sympathy, reassurance, confession and resignation. They have made bold promises, and appealed to our sense of responsibility for this country. When we listen together, it is unifying. We are all Americans, regardless of party. The President speaks to us all.

Throughout the 20th century, whether by newspaper, radio, TV or internet, students have followed current events in the classroom. Students learned immediately when President Kennedy was assassinated. They watched the Watergate hearings in 7th grade civics; saw Nixon's announcement of the end of the Vietnam War, and saw funeral coverage of Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. Students in the classroom were exposed to highly politicized issues such as desegregation and the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War protests, and the Cold War. Students sat at desks or crowded around TVs and watched in pride as mankind first walked on the moon, held their breath as Apollo 13 overcame great danger to return to earth, and saw the Challenger fall prey to that danger. Within the past 25 years, our presidents have spoken directly to our children about the dangers of drugs, the importance of literacy, and the need for exercise.

Considering how many classrooms broadcast the OJ Simpson trial -- a televised event of almost no academic worth -- I am absolutely appalled that anyone would consider censoring a presidential speech about the value of education.

If you've got your panties in a bunch because the president is speaking to government school children, then why is your child in a government school?

Hey dummies, how many presidents have given speeches to children with government directed "activities" designed to endear this dictator? Stop licking bootrs boots and educate yourself.

Remember, the US Government also spent millions to send out letters telling us that we would be getting a tax rebate check in the mail soon. Uhm, ok, I think when I got the check I would have figured it out...

/First, my child is not anyone's political pawn./

No one's asking them to be. However it seems like millions are willing to be the pawns of a few right wingers.

/The "dirty work" is done beforehand: "how can you help the president/

You mean like we did back in school when we wrote reports on how we could help President Nixon/Ford/Carter with the issue of the moment. We even wrote ourselves letters. None of this is new and certainly not sinister.

/conservatives wind up looking like whack jobs./

No they won't, because it's not conservatives that are getting all riled up over this. Its the right wing that will look like whack jobs, but that's an everyday thing for them.

/I wouldn't mind her hearing from a scientist, mathematician, famous author, doctor, or lawyer./

That's career day, we used to have those.

/relatively few people trust the President./

More people trust this President than the previous one. Most people have a healthy distrust of any politician.

First, after watching this president during his first eight months in office, I just don’t TRUST him. I believe that’s why there is such a visceral response to his intrusion into our children’s classroom. Many people just do not trust the message he will deliver will be apolitical. After all, Mr. Obama has not yet stopped campaigning.

The uproar this has caused has been beneficial in that the administration has changed the “curriculum” they originally published to be less obviously Obama-centric. Still, I do not TRUST him. My distrust is not abated by the simple fact that the White House states they will release the text of his speech on MONDAY; the day before presentation. This speech was already written. Why has it not already been released to allay the fears of many parents? I would guess it’s because the uproar has caused the White House to rewrite the speech and change its original orientation. Kudos to parents across our great nation. I would really love to know what was in the original speech. If the speech is as innocuous as the White House says it is, it would be easy write in, say, 20 or 30 minutes. Every athletic coach from little league to the pros seem to be able to render a motivational speech without speechwriters and teleprompters.

And the obvious does not escape me. Three years from now as we approach the 2012 elections, tens of millions of this year’s 9th thru 12th graders will be eligible to vote in their first presidential election. Like I said, the president has not stopped campaigning. I suspect he viewed this speech as an opportunity to begin tilting our inexperienced youth into his camp. I know our liberal friends on this board may find this possibility incredulous, but I think it entirely likely after observing this man for the past two years. Like I said, I don’t TRUST him!

"...the right wing nuts will look back at their antics and be utterly embarrassed about their juvenile and ill-advised hyperpartisan over-reaction."

No they won't. It happens time and again that whatever they're waving their arms about doesn't turn out they way they warn and they just run to the next non-issue to go berzerk over.

First, my child is not anyone's political pawn.

Second, Obama doesn't _have_ to say anything indoctrinational (coined word!). The "dirty work" is done beforehand: "how can you help the president..." Tuesday, he can just say "Hi Kids, I hope you have a great day. Thanks for your attention." and call it a wrap. The MSM will wonder what all the hullabaloo was about, and the conservatives wind up looking like whack jobs.

Third, if you leave a door open, eventually something unwelcome is going to come through it.

Fourth, my kids at school to learn how to read, express herself, understand mathematics, etc. I wouldn't mind her hearing from a scientist, mathematician, famous author, doctor, or lawyer.

The problem is that relatively few people trust the President. And for good reason, as his presidency plays out.

Another thing these parents better consider before keeping their kids out of school just because the "man on the radio" has filled their heads with all kinds of conspiracy theories.

Kids can only miss so many days before they fail a grade. If they skip that day, then have to miss more days because of illness or some other reason, and end up with one absence too many how will these parents feel then? Do they hate Obama so much that it's worth risking their children failing a grade?

There are simply some people that you would never in a million years allow to talk to or be around your kids.....for me, Barack Obama is one of them. So why would I want to subject my kids to have to sit under a speech by him in the captive audience of a classroom?

The original wording (now deleted) was a bit different before people spoke up about this. There was a question that asked the students what they would promise to do in order to help the PRESIDENT acheive HIS goals, not this amended version that conveniently sticks to the story that the purpose of his speech was to motivate kids re: their educaion.

For a county that refuses to allow her students to pledge allegiance to her flag and to the Republic for which the flag stands yet allow for her children to basically pledge allegiance to a PERSON is absolutely ridiculous. If you don't see the difference, I suggest you listen to the smart kids on this one and quit acting like a bunch of lemmings. Whether his restucturing (or change) of this country's principles is intended to open the door for a fascist dictator to assume absolut control or it is just a lack of forsight, dont care. The end result is there. If he is that stupid, his qualifications are void, if he is that SMART and doing this on purpose, he is a traitor. Either one warrants impeachment. Period.

I can understand your frustration. we went through a similar thing but have a great principle who helped us through it.

I dunno about the last 50 years. I think there's been a heck of a lot of good things. global middle class continues to grow and globalization moves on - and we are the DNA for that movement.

I think a lot of people just dont see how really great things continue to be compared with history.

and they're the same people who tend to obsess over something like this speech...

If your child can be "indoctrinated" by a single short speech, then what does that say about the parents. Would the parents be happier if the speech were delivered via cartoons?

I don't have a problem with BO giving a speech to encourage children to try hard in school; based upon what I've seen in the recently published "talking points," it's the other content that concerns me. I don't think it is my or my children's job of "serving" our President. After all, he and other officials are *public servants*, correct? They do deserve our respect, of course.
My childrens' school doesn't plan to show it the day it's broadcast since it is the first day of school here and they are requiring parents' permission beforehand. I think Brooke's idea is great -- watch it yourself and come up with your own talking points. Make it a teachable moment in your home.

I suppose conservatives would rather have President Obama read "My Pet Goat" to the students instead.

Samantha, you write: "I will watch it myself online and if there is nothing that I feel is inappropriate, I will show it to them. Why not release it for parents first and then let us decide".

So, Samantha, do you also get every teacher's lesson plans in advance to "approve", view every filmstrip in advance, insist on giving permission every time you kid's class has a guest speaker?

If so, you are one of those paranoid helicopter parents. If not, you are hypocritical to insist on advance screening of a speech by the president of the United States but not on any other aspect of your kid's curriculum.

What do you think the worst thing is that could happen if your kid watched a short speech by the President of the United States?

tom - to think that is to ignore the last 50 years.

burley - yes, I am sure. insane people always think it's the rest of the world that has a problem. it's OK, we understand. but please, stop yelling. your scaring the children.

We pulled our kids out of Government School this year. We found that in just 3 short weeks we have been able to deprogram them from the loser mentality prevalent in the schools and resotred their common sense. Being in chr=arge of your children's education and teaching them how to learn is truly the best thing a parent can do for their children. I think homschoolers will be ruling the world in a few years.

It is quite apparent that unless you are underprivileged (very interesting word isn't it?) or handicapable, that no one in the school system is interested in helping your bright, gifted children. They just want them for their test scores...

quack quack

Didn't George HW Bush do the same thing and people complained then as well. So when someone with an R next to their name does it its bad, when someone with a D does it its good?

like it or not, sometimes, people are just ignorant.

just callin a duck a duck.

you can only deal with rational people. irrational people...not so much.

neal gets this - why dont you?

Make a lasting statement. Tell the government you consider them to be entirely inadequate and incompetent in the area of educating your children. Withdraw your kid from school altogether. If ALL conservative minded parents were to make the sacrifice to homeschool, the message would be undeniable. "We're not going to take it anymore." You're only making noise if you aren't willing to give up your cable TV, cell phones, shiny new cars and HUGE houses for the good of your children and the advancement of reason in government. ALL of my children have read and understand the Constitution AND the Declaration of Independence. Make yours do the same.

As noted by abc:

There is some historical precedent for presidents speaking to students in nationally televised addresses. President George H. W. Bush did so in 1991 and President Ronald Reagan even talked politics with students in 1988.

I don't necessarily have a problem with the President addressing schoolchildren, I have a problem with what this President may say. I made the decision to opt my kids out of watching it at school. I will watch it myself online and if there is nothing that I feel is inappropriate, I will show it to them. Why not release it for parents first and then let us decide? Oh, right, this goverment doesn't believe in personal choices...

"If he says something that suggests "indoctrination," then conservatives can nail him." At this point it's too late. How do you explain to your 6 year old to listen to adults at school as authority figures, oh but by the way, don't listen to them about this...and don't pay attention to the POTUS because he's a socialist. I wouldn't have a problem with them showing a State of the Union address, but in this speech, he will be talking directly to the kids. I don't let their crazy uncle teach them how to cuss either.

What type of schools did you receive your education in Neal,public or private?

Maybe the kids are so dumb today because their parents are too busy complaining about politics rather than letting them have fun.

If JFK or Reagen had spoken to the classrooms of a nation, would people have been this upset?

The thing is, Obama made his bed and now he can lie in it. Given his track record so far, can you really blame anyone for thinking he might use it as a platform to push his marxist agenda?

As Ive said before "Government school classrooms are an avenue for leftists to hold other peoples children as a captive audience to further their own political agenda."

The reaction to Obama’s planned speech to schoolchildren is getting completely out of hand. Driven by the right wing media and their conspiracy theories, zombie parents are going ballistic. As for the document for teachers, this is really nothing new, just schoolese that could have just as easily been written thirty years ago. Nothing sinister at all.

I was listening to a radio news program yesterday and they had a guest who informed us that threats against the President have risen four hundred percent since January.

I blame the right wing. These hosts and bloggers (some who admit they do not even check their facts), knowing they have a huge audience who hang on their every word and believe everything they say, go on with the rhetoric, the lies, the conspiracy theories, the misinformation, and the hatred. When confronted with their actions they hide behind “well I’m just an entertainer”.

Well sorry. When you have influence over that many people it goes beyond merely being an entertainer. With influence comes responsibility. How long will it be before one of the zombies after listening to day after day of “Obama’s a dictator”, “Obama’s taking away your freedoms” and “Obama’s brainwashing your children”, will one of them decide to do something tragic?

And if that day comes (and I hope it does not), I hope not only is the perpetrator prosecuted to the full extent of the law, but the host(s) or blogger who drove him to it are held responsible as an accessory. In addition, the alleged effects of the “Fairness Doctrine” on right wing radio will pale in comparison to what will happen then and the right-wingers will only have themselves to blame.