The title of this blog refers to the picture I see in my head each time I think of the thousands of parents who are calling school districts all over the country right now regarding President Obama's speech to schools on Tuesday.
Parents are pulling their kids from school. The speech is about inspiring students to be motivated, get good grades, do well in school, and dream that they can make something of their lives. It's a message of personal responsibility - how can you disagree with that?
It's not about health care, it's not about auto or bank bailouts. (What kindergartener would want to listen to that anyway?)
Jim Greer, the chairman of the Florida Republican Party said "Taxpayer dollars are being used to spread President Obama's socialist ideology." It's socialist ideology to inspire kids to do well in school?
Maybe some of the parents need to spend some time in schools during the day to understand that a message of personal responsibility is not a bad thing. According to Arne Duncan, the secretary of education, the dropout rate in the U.S. is 30 percent. Almost a third of children enrolled in schools don't complete 12th grade?
I am lucky to teach in a district that is at the high end of the spectrum - almost all students are college-bound, and the community is incredibly supportive of teachers, and students, and all of our efforts.
But I know that in some places, a message from the president, could go a long way in inspiring students. Would people be so upset about this is the speaker was say, a famous athlete? A movie star? Same message, but no "politics."
I am amazed at the firebrand politics surrounding this speech. The same people who just six or eight years ago were saying "If you speak out against the war or against President Bush, you're being unpatriotic" are now doing what they said not to do. Isn't it still unpatriotic? It's still the president, it's just a different guy from a different party. If it's unpatriotic for anyone to speak against the president, it's unpatriotic for everyone (I don't believe speaking against the President is unpatriotic, I believe it's our right under the First Amendment).
I guess the biggest disappointment for me, and this latest news crystallizes it, is the fact that civil dialogue in our country is so far from civilized. I know that I don't agree with everyone on everything. But I'd like to think that I can listen to the other side of the story, and then continue to dialogues about what is being discussed. We can agree to disagree, and we can still be friends. That doesn't seem the way it is these days - discussion is so polarized, and one side isn't willing to work with the other side.
Where are we heading?
01.05.23 Fifteen years
1 year ago
3 comments:
Atta girl, Jill. The more I think abut this, the more I think those parents who object, without a rational reason, are showing us just how racist they are ... I know that playing the race card is NOT cool, but really, what else explains this unsustainable, crazy idea?
I am not sure but I don't believe because you don't agree with everything Obama does makes you racist. I think that is what everyone is trying to impress on everyone as they have not figured out what else to use as the reason we are not all following like BLIND sheep. People have had different views since cavemen days but now if you disagree its because you are racist. People disagreed with Bush and had stickers on their cars in regards to his last day in office but because the man was white, it wasn't racist and every comment wasn't checked for political correctness either, they chewed him up and spit him out over and over. Free Will and Freedom of speech and people use it to make their own decisions and anyway the parents should be pushing their own children to stay in school and parents worth a darn probably are. Sorry, Jill but the race card being pulled all the time really pisses me off. Aunt Janet
Send the kids or don’t send them…either way, they will find out what was said…with the media and people talking, it will get out…
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