Parents furious over Obama's instructions to "work hard in school"

[topaz]

I missed this over the last couple of days, but, apparently, on Tuesday Obama plans to give a speech to public school kids across the country, telling them to work hard and stay in school.  That announcement has left conservatives apoplectic with rage at its socialist message.

Some parents are pulling their kids out of school to make sure they are not tricked into staying in school!  In response to parental pressure, a number of school boards have chosen to issue permission slips or not show the speech at all, thereby remaining shrewdly neutral on the question of whether or not kids should go to school.  (I think that for a school board to take this stance must be an example of what they call "reverse psychology.")

I wish I could say that this was an Onion headline, but holy shit, it's really happening.

Is it possible that we have reached peak wingnut?  I almost hope not.

Comments

[feste-sylvain.livejournal.com]

And then there were the wingnuts who claimed that this was "indoctrination akin to the Hitler Youth movement", despite not having seen the speech's text. Because the text wasn't available yet.

Poe's Law, man. (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ptitlehkm94ato?from=Main.PoesLaw) Poe's Law.

[dilletante.livejournal.com]

honestly, i feel like it's wingnuts on both sides. most of the articles objecting to the speech that i've seen have referred to the apparently actually-announced plans to have it (or perhaps the accompanying study guides?) ask students to write letters to themselves about how they can help the president.

which sounds very '50's, and everyone who thinks figures of authority always know best and have our best interests at heart should have nothing to complain about, but i don't think either political side actually pushes that idea right now. i can easily see anyone who disagrees with the current president's policies-- whoever happens to be the current president-- objecting to schools being co-opted to force that shit on their kids.

it sounds great to say "wow, he was planning to tell kids to work hard and stay in school, who could object to that?" but that isn't the part people are objecting to, and it's disingenuous to say it is.

[weegoddess.livejournal.com]

No, conservative parents seem to be objecting to the idea that a Democratic president's policies should be pushed onto schoolchildren and I can totally understand where they are coming from. My objection is that it seems like many parents are blindly towing party lines without actually taking the time to learn what said policies might be. Which is its own kind of indoctrination for the children.

::sighs for the idiocy that is human nature::

[dancingwolfgrrl.livejournal.com]

most of the articles objecting to the speech that i've seen have referred to the apparently actually-announced plans to have it (or perhaps the accompanying study guides?) ask students to write letters to themselves about how they can help the president.

I'd believe that if every place that had objected to the original lesson plan had changed their tune when the lesson plan was changed. Since they haven't, I feel like there must be some other issue.

I'm not saying that "how can I help the president?" is a kind of patriotism I personally endorse, and I think they were wise to change it, but the whole "Obama is a dictator" line has gone way beyond the pale.

[dilletante.livejournal.com]

well, that's why i say wingnuts on both sides. :)

the right wing talking heads are frothing crazies. but the obama administration really does seem to be working the propaganda machine awfully hard, also.

[dancingwolfgrrl.livejournal.com]

I guess I don't hold that to be a political crime, insofar as everyone does it. I'm usually offended by what the propaganda machine is being worked for rather than the (probably nearly inevitable) fact that it is running :)

Also, I also feel morally obliged to point out that to some of us, Obama's unfortunate quality is looking like he's not enough of a left-wing wingnut!

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

I get that people who don't support the president don't want their children to be told, "think about ways you can help the president," and I agree it was an incredibly dumb move for the White House to take that approach. Nevertheless, for parents and legislators to respond immediately by announcing that they would take their kids out of school for the event strikes me as such a massive overreaction that it demands to be made fun of.

[docstrange.livejournal.com]

You don't think many parents would have done that had the Bush II WH made a similar announcement? It's creepy whatever WH does it - I agree with dilletante -- it is VERY 1950s. Of course back then they'd have kept a list of what parents kept their kids home. So we've made some progress at least.

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

You don't think many parents would have done that had the Bush II WH made a similar announcement?

In fact, I don't. As far as I can tell, it didn't happen when 41 did it, and there was certainly no shortage of liberal paranoia over his policies (zomg!! a former CIA chief as President!!)

[docstrange.livejournal.com]

Nothing with 41 reached the hysteria opposing the Bush II presidency. And for good reason. PATRIOT I and II were very scary, esp. in the hands of a "unitary executive" branch.

[keyne.livejournal.com]

I get that people who don't support the president don't want their children to be told, "think about ways you can help the president," and I agree it was an incredibly dumb move for the White House to take that approach.

If you could actually find evidence that the White House has taken such an approach, I would agree with you. See my comment below.

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

In response to complaints from parents and school officials, the U.S. Department of Education removed the question, "How can you help the President?" from the materials. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dawn-teo/top-az-school-official-ob_b_277638.html)

[keyne.livejournal.com]

Okay, then I agree with you. :-)

[keyne.livejournal.com]

Apparently, most of the articles objecting have not actually *seen* the study guides. To quote a commenter on Talking Points Memo (http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/09/florida-gop-press-secretary-i-wouldnt-want-obamas-ideas-taught-to-my-children.php?ref=fpblg) ("Gordon" is the spokesperson for the Florida Republicans):

From the Materials:
"Write letters to themselves about how they can achieve their short‐term and long‐term education goals. These would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals."

Quoted from Gordon quoting from the materials:
"Write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president. These would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals."

[opadit.livejournal.com]

There have been 2 posts over at Glomarization, the first (http://www.glomarization.com/2009/09/im-keeping-my-daughter-home-from-school.html) including a link for homeschoolers, and the second (http://www.glomarization.com/2009/09/reagans-speech-to-schoolkids-in-1988.html) discussing something in a speech that President Reagan made to some schoolkids in 1988.

[moominmolly.livejournal.com]

Holy crap what?

[docstrange.livejournal.com]

Edit: weegoddess said it better, above.

[sconstant.livejournal.com]

As a friend of mine put it on his fb status How long did it take to go from: "if you criticize the President you are a traitor" to "School children should not trust the President."

[khedron.livejournal.com]

Yes, this. I just ... sheesh.

[harimad.livejournal.com]

How long did it take to go from: "if you criticize the President you are a traitor" to "School children should not trust the President."

One day: 19-20 Jan, 2009

[sconstant.livejournal.com]

My response referenced philosopher Ly Tin Wheedle on monarchy.

[wdr1.livejournal.com]

Heh... I always love it when Democrats get enraged that Republicans use the same dirty tricks at them. Gives me hope for the future of the party.

[Apologies if I double-submit. Didn't realize the first post was anonymous.]