Don't lump all of us in with these folks. There are fringe crazies from all sides. I'm sure I could find some similar liberal rants back in the Bush days. Politics should stay out of the classroom - but having respect for the President of our country - no matter who he is - is not politics. The "they should be educating our kids" argument is BS too. An hour out of the whole year will make no difference. All this does is make conservatives look bad.
Because of this, white republican-parented elementary school kids might grow up to vote for Obama, if they invent a time machine sometime in the next decade, and then go back in time when they are of voting age, and then register ....this is why this must be stopped
These aren't the only people who aren't subjecting their students to this. A school in Houston just announced that they will not take part in Tuesday's event.
"Old enough to fight, old enough to vote" I know you were joking, but the voting age was lowered because a lot of young people raised holy hell about getting drafted to fight in Nam, and not being able to vote against the guys who sent them there. It was an interesting time, to say the least.
I haven't read through the entire thread, but it's probably worth mentioning that some parents might have done the same thing if Bush were giving a speech or whatever. I would never take my imaginary kids out of school for any reason, ever.
Eh, I remember in high school we watched Bill Clinton's inauguration, I believe we watched GHWB's also, and I remember our class wrote a letter to President Reagan once....and he sent us a picture of himself and nancy on horseback. I don't recall my parents protesting any of the above, or anybodys. Now with the advent of email/twitter/etc and the polarization of the right wing, all the crazies get together and organize boycotts of the so-called socialist...belying their own lack of educaton in the process. Depressing for the future of the country.
Isn't this exactly what the Taliban is doing? Denying their children the ability to see what else is out there and make a decision for themselves? DD
I doubt many would do this if it was Bush. At the same time, I think we have to wait and see how many parents actually do it. This chatter on the radio and internet could be nothing more than right-wing kooks burning off energy because they always need something to complain and lather about. They just love to rile each other up because it makes them feel alive. Their resentment over the blasting their champion Bush got (because of his failed 8 years) is exploding on Obama. They are trying to cram 8 years of revenge on him in just a few months.
I disagreed with nearly everything Bush stood for as the leader of our country, but my children are taught to respect our president. I think it is an honor for our children to be addressed directly by the president and will email my school to make sure they know I support this honor.
A speech given by an American President should be watched by Americans, young and old alike. I never thought I would see a day when a speech by an American President would be subject to censorship and scorn by Americans. For this, I am saddened. If a parent is concerned, they should watch the speech as well. If the President says something the parent disagrees with, it is their job as a parent to discuss it with their children and teach their children the values they find important. There is not nearly enough of that going on anymore.
It shouldn not be on the parents it should be on the students. Students should have the choice to watch if they want to watch. Someone said they wasn't allowed to watch speeches when they was in school. You don't fix a mistake with a mistake.
I'll take it a couple steps further. If the parents in question are ones that would yank their kids from school so they won't be 'indoctrinated' by the damn president, I'd say they probably shouldn't be making any decisions of any sort.
What politicians do is they to keep the public blind to the facts that are actually going on. If you get a group of the youth who has gain interest in political policies it would be for the better of the country. We have had years of the American public that have fell victims of dumb down arguments in Washington that has created mistrust of our people. Only way is to figure this out on you own and think for yourself and not fall victims of my parents vote this way I should to syndrome.
I think that's going way to far. There are around a million worse things you can do to your kid. I'm not going to go out and say these are bad parents because I know nothing about their personal lives. I got 2 daughters and some political overzealousness is no reason to call child protective services.
Right or wrong, it should be on the parents. If these are school kids, they should be doing what their parents say. If the parents want the kids to skip school that day, well that is their legal right - as it should be. We'll be sliding down a pretty dangerous slope if we start interfering in this regard. You can disagree with the parents and call them misguided (with which I agree) or even stupid. But it would very wrong to start legislating intrusive laws regarding parenting. I see a lot of other parents doing things (or not doing things) that I strongly disagree with - that are potentially far more damaging than this largely misguided political statement. I'm not talking about abuse or deadbeat dads - but bad parenting (or lack thereof) in general.
I wouldn't call CPS. I just think this sort of behavior is proof of either insanity or severe stupidity. Either way, the kids are going to be better off deciding for themselves than listening to their insane or stupid parents.
