My daughter's school's is not showing the President's address live.

[jefferson_dem]

On her school's website, I find an announcement that the President's address is schedule for Tuesday and a link to the message below. They obviously think they have found a cutesy way to not show the address live - by encouraging students to watch it at home with their parents.

Well, I'm not buying it.

My plan is to march in with my daughter on Tuesday morning and demand some answers. Since the memo indicates that each school has the discretion to show or not show the address, who made this decision, when did they make it, and why.

:grr:

September 8th Presidential Address to Students
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

September 3, 2009

Dear XXXX Parents/Guardians:

On Tuesday, September 8, President Obama plans to deliver a national address directly to students on the importance of education. The speech will be delivered via Internet streaming video, on C-SPAN, and via satellite. Schools throughout the country have been asked to participate in this important presentation that will encourage students to set educational goals and take responsibility for their learning.

The District has confirmed that the speech will remain available for viewing on the White House web site following the live broadcast, which provides an excellent opportunity for parents to watch this historic presentation with their children at home if they so choose. We encourage schools to recommend this option, and to also provide information to parents about how they can view the speech with their children.

Schools are not required to show the live broadcast. If schools decide they want to incorporate the speech into their curricular activities, they may do so on a voluntary basis provided they notify parents in advance and provide an opportunity for students to opt out of the broadcast. Students who do not participate will not be penalized in any way.

The video will be available at www.whitehouse.gov/mediaresources. Schools should post this link on their school Web sites.

[Dinger]

1. Sent You A PM. I Think You'll Like It : )

At least I hope so.:)

[Sherman A1]

2. Inform the school that you will keep your daughter home to watch the

speech and you will encourage other parents to do the same. Lower attendance probably means lower $$'s for the school.

[Dinger]

3. And remind Them That This Is An Excused Absence

The child is not truant. Just in case they try any shit.

[Sherman A1]

8. Precisely

it is excused. It will also get their attention when it starts to look like it will affect the budget. Money has this magical affect.

[Cha]

4. That's what this is taking..for parents to speak out..

who want the Education Address from the President to be seen by their kids.

Everything is always coming down to a fight to the finish for our Democracy as opposed to brainwashed facism.

[jefferson_dem]

5. They will hear from me. Believe it.

If they do not think an address to our nation's school children by the President of the United States is important enough to carry live, I'm not so sure I can trust their judgment otherwise.

My daughter will be viewing the address live, at home if not in school. Period.

[Cha]

6. I know they will..and that

makes me very happy!

[janx]

10. Good For You!

;-)

[jbnow]

16. Good for you, I would do the same. I hope the school

can document they have done the same thing when previous presidents spoke
May 13 1986 Reagan
http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1986/51386d.htm
November 14, 1988, President Reagan
http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1988/111488c.htm

And this
The lesson plan that went with it (pdf)

There was a lot of policy in speeches though some through question and answer. Some just in the text of speeches like this

We have to remain economically competitive, and that means being aware of two things: first, what makes economies tick, and second, what works in other societies. We've been trying very hard in Washington to make America even more economically fit by really overhauling our entire tax structure. When we came into office, the top personal tax rate that the Federal Government could put on your income was 70 percent. Now, you can understand, I think, that if you were getting up in those brackets -- there were 14 different tax brackets, depending on the amount of money in each bracket you earned. And when you could look and say, ``If I earn another dollar, I only get to keep 30 cents out of it,'' you can imagine the lack of incentive there. Well, we lowered it to 50 percent, and the economy really took off. Now we're trying to lower it yet again so that families can keep more of their money and so the national economy will be lean and trim and fit for the future.

And bush? His September 12 1989 drug talk...well it came a few days after his September 5 speech about drugs to the bation. You know how they show a couple Dems there saying it was a political ad? That's because it was. He was pushing Congress to pass his anti-drug program (more prisons and prosecutors and such republican answers. Republicans (including bush) were rejecting drug treatment and prevention measures to the bill

Then 10-1-91 He gave a speech in a classroom that was televised live to students
http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu/research/public_papers.php?id=3450&year=1991&month=10

The interesting part

Write me a letter -- and I'm serious about this one -- write me a letter about ways you can help us achieve our goals. I think you know the address.

So all the things people flip out about also happened with prior presidents.
Surely they did the same thing with prior speeches

[SemiCharmedQuark]

7. that is such a pile of crap

I was a senior in high school when the tragedy of September 11 hit. We spent the next week watching recordings of Bush's speeches (Dead or Alive!!!). I didn't complain and even if I had I didn't have the option to not watch. The teacher didn't notify my mom. They just did it.

[janx]

9. WHY has this become so politicized?

I posted a thread about what an opportunity these kids would have in seeing it LIVE, in knowing that the President of the United States was speaking to them, directly to them, in real time.

Are a few paranoid, loud, and angry parents going to spoil that? :shrug: It makes no sense.

[fortyfeetunder]

11. The subext --

fear, and denial a POTUS - in a position of power -- just happens to be (part) black.
And I forgot to add for the woefully ignorant who still think POTUS is a Muslim.

[janx]

14. But that's the fringe!

This president was elected with solid support! Why would any school district cave in to this nonsense? :shrug:

After 9/11, did people who didn't vote for Bush pull their kids out of school or insist that Bush speeches/appearances should be optional? It seems as if those schools who are giving in to the hysteria (fear, denial of a POTUS) are actually encouraging it.

[Cha]

12. It makes no sense unless you're

the limpbaugh/hannity faction and don't want your listeners to get the idea that President Obama actually cares what happens to the kids ..all the kids.

[madinmaryland]

13. My daughter's school is doing the same thing. I got a very similar email.

I posted about it last night. Sent an email to the offending principal this morning.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=6473434&mesg_id=6473434

:grr:

[Avalux]

15. My daughters' schools as well. I've already let them know how I feel.

The district's communications director was fielding phone calls and gave some lame excuses for not showing Obama's speech. You can bet if it was Bush, they'd force every child to watch.

Anyway - my children are staying home to watch it, then I'll take them to school.