Politicizing the Anchorage School District
Now that the Town Hall meetings in Anchorage are over, and Senator Mark Begich has left the state for Washington D.C., what’s a poor bored wingnut to do? Well, after drumming their fingers for 24 hours, waiting for new marching orders, they’re off and running again.
Trying to get everyone health care is bad enough, but behold the latest ‘moral outrage’ that President Obama is inflicting on the poor innocent children according to the conservatives. On Tuesday, September 8th, that man is going to be on the TeeVee, in schools across the nation telling the children that education is important and that they need to have regular attendance, and even…..(gulp)…. graduate. Oh, the horror! Can you imagine the dangerous Democratic mind control that is going to be facilitated by our public schools? Why, if those lefty socialist Marxist Communist fascists had their way, all our kids would end up in college; or worse, Grad School! “This cannot stand,” sayeth the wingnuts!
So, they’ve begun assaulting teachers, school board members and administrators of the Anchorage School District with emails saying things like:
We don’t want our child to be doing what President Obama asks of her/him. We are the parents, and he/she is supposed to do what we ask. We may happen to agree with everything President Obama says, but our child’s direction will come from us as we guide him/her according to our family values and teach him/her how to make choices on his/her own.
Yeah. If that President fella asks you to show up to class and stay in school, you just ignore him little Suzie. If our family values tell you to drop out, then drop out you will young lady/man! (Yes, at least one of the letters from an angry “parent” left in the “him/her” part of the form letter, rather than modifying it to fit their specific child.) So, now an address by the President of the United States telling our kids that education is important has become a “p0litical” issue.
Not one to let the lunatics run the asylum, Superintendent of Schools Carol Comeau today said in a letter to Anchorage teachers:
We have received a number of phone calls and emails from citizens and parents regarding this matter. There appears to be a presumption that this is a political activity. It is not a political activity in my opinion. I have informed those who have contacted me of the voluntary nature of this opportunity and the fact that I believe it is very important that our students hear from the President on the important part education played in his life, and that of his family. As I understand it, he will be stressing the importance of setting goals, and the importance of regular school attendance and the shared responsibility of students, teachers, and parents in education.
I want to assure anyone who is questioning the activity, that I believe our students will benefit from listening to the President if this is something that their teacher chooses to incorporate into their lessons. I would say the same for any other President, and for any other elected official such as our governor, members of Congress, legislators, and the mayor. We encourage elected officials to visit our classrooms and to speak to our students; Governor Parnell has already visited East High School, his alma mater, and will be visiting three other schools this month as he stresses the importance of staying in school, not dropping out, and the value of education and a high school diploma!
As most of you know, we have firm guidelines in place for any elected officials and candidates who choose to visit our classrooms and schools. These are posted on our website under Political Activities. Please feel free to familiarize yourself with them and share them with anyone who asks about them.
Oh, and the protesting emails want you to know that they’d be doing this no matter who was president.
Riiight.
The event will be broadcast live on whitehouse.gov so you can hear for yourself the secret communications from the President to the school children. It’s sure to be diabolical!
And as a gesture of good will and appreciation, how about emailing the school board, and Carol Comeau, or your kid’s teacher to say that you’re happy that we have a President who thinks education is important enough to speak to kids about it, and support teachers in what they try to do every day.
Well, I never! A President elected by a majority of Americans who has the balls to take on our precious children and advise them how they should conduct their educational lives. What is this country coming to? This mind control is really something. Who is he to tell our students how to succeed? A highly educated man who obviously loves learning and thinking and challenges. The nerve!….
……Thank you dear God for blessing our nation with this amazing man as our leader. My two students are in middle school. My Head Start grandson is visiting and will be exposed to that tv. Exposed to THAT president. With my blessing!!
In fact, thank you Right Wingers for bringing this issue to light. Otherwise since we live with a off road Alaska village school there was a chance I wouldn’t even know the students in America had a speech written just for them by this inspiritational writer, caring man and the #1tough love parent of the nation. I saw his Father’s Day speech from a year ago. Bush (Ha, as in red state) Alaska would do well by hearing it. As I have learned the hard way that i need to supplement what my kids learn around the village-I did the responsible thing and called the principal.
Fortunately, there is a four hour difference and in Alaska the noon speech will be live at 8 am. Kids are usually just getting ready for school then.
So, of course I told the principal my students will NOT be in school during the time the speech is aired.
Because, I will keep them OUT of school TO MAKE SURE THEY HEAR PRES. OBAMA give this important speech. Then I will print copies off NYT website. Then I will look at the printed education speech he already gave (Spring ’09?).
And this weekend I will go to the WEBSITES that the Principal was given by the YKSD which is: http://WWW.ED.GOV/TEACHERS/HOW/LESSONS/PREK-6 for lessons. There is also a 7-12.doc link. Then we will listen to some tv pundits, then have our own discussion. Only then will I allow my kids to go to school. I figure they will “miss” about an hour in their village school. I told the same to the principal. Any of their peers who didn’t hear the speech will miss out.
And my bi-racial Native son and his Athabascan-Sioux sister WILL write a letter to President Barack Hussein Obama, child of a mixed race marriage, Ivy League graduate, student of the world, gentleman, upstanding father and husband. They will invite him to his first ever visit to Alaska.
The 49th state is alot warmer now that Quitter left. My kids will educate Pres. Obama about our unique qualities, challenges and join in his desire to help him in his epic quest to set our country in a new direction. My children will benefit greatly from this opportunity. Just as I had the opposite experience when I learned way too early to be cynical with Nixon as President when I was young. All Americans will benefit from this speech, especially parents. Native children and the diverse other students in Alaska who need to learn to get along and work together to have a strong future not a divisive one as Palin and company set out to do. The same folks that are opposing anything this fine leader is trying to do. Shame on them, what lousy role models they are. You betch, an ethics and biogotry panel needs to access them.
I too emailed the Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent of our county’s school system and the Principal of my daughter’s school. It was received and appreciated. I also wrote a letter to the editor of our newspaper. Don’t know if it’ll get chosen but we have to lend our sane voices to the discussion, otherwise these people feigning outrage will continue controlling it and spewing their hatred. Shame on them for setting this kind of example for their kids.
I said to the principal she may be hearing from angry parents and therefore I wanted her to know I was very happy that my daughter would get to hear President Obama speak at her school.
A form did come home with my daughter yesterday that parents can sign to let their kids skip listening to the president. I actually touched on this with the Superintendents, I said that form justifies these parents’ feigned outrage instead of abating it. Parents threatening to withdraw their kids from school should simply be reminded of the school system’s Unexcused Absence Policies. If you give in, then they remember this and they’ll wear you out time and time again because they know you’ll cave.
There’s a huge, unspoken racist element to this new “controversy” being manufactured as a vehicle to pull down our legally elected president. It’s not as simple as “We hate and fear him because he is black, and no black man can be president of MY country.” Offensive as that is, there is a subtext: The American right-wing conservative is really afraid that the young minority population of our country will be empowered and will work hard in school and aspire to meaningful roles in the future. They seem to have a sick need to hang on to their perceived “privileged class” at the expense of the future of minority children who should have the right to pursue their dreams with hard work and opportunity. Time to stand up to the right and let the blessings of this land flow on to everyone, whether in education, lifework, or health care. Obama is a wonderful example for all of America’s children.
On the topic of disrespect to President Obama and his message to schoolkids, let me paraphrase Kathy Griffin: Suck it, Republicans!
The NASCAR thing is huge! I wish more people would stand up and speak out.
Honestly, this whole thing really breaks my heart. President Obama is doing nothing different than Reagan, Bush, and Clinton, yet he is demonized and singled out. We all know why that is. It makes me sick to my stomach to read all the craziness. It must sadden him to have to bear the brunt of all this veiled racism.
Speaking of Anchorage – although not necessarily of the schools – I am reminded of all the “tranies are gonna attack me in the bathrooms” when I saw this on another site: http://failblog.org/2009/09/03/sign-fail-16/
This has now become an issue in the conservative areas of pennsyltucky. Mostly white mothers are objecting to “this man” being allowed into their kids’ mostly white schools.
Just saw on Facebook that the Mat-Su school district (think home of the Quitter) is requiring permission slips to watch the President of the United States of America give a speech.
Thanks for the NASCAR news! Awesome!
@ peter d I may have to watch NASCAR just for this.
It sure does not hurt to have friends in pro sports. President Obama friends at NASCAR have stepped up to the starting line with there big hitters. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Juan Pablo Montoya , Jeff Gordon, and Tony Stewart. The good old boys made a public service announcement supporting the Presidents September 8th message to students. NASCAR, now a giant in TeeVee rating will air there PSA Sunday during the race on ESPS.
The President Speaks to America’s Students
Sept 8, 2009 at 12 noon ET
Watch on WHITEHOUSE.GOV or C-SPAN
NASCAR drivers PSA message in support.
http://www.nascar.com/video/cup/2009/09/03/nascar.education.psa.nascar/
OMG, a Black man is President and will be speaking to our children.
I posted a response to weaver@78 with a link to the news story she mentions. The article is overall pretty good and the comments there are mostly progressive.
But my response is in moderation-land, I guess. (For some reason that’s been happening to me a lot lately, no idea why)
As a former teacher, I’m somewhat embarrassed that it took AKM’s suggestion that we write to move to do do so. I, too, received an almost immediate reply from Carol Comeau last night, then a note from another Board member this morning. He “hinted” that the Mat-Su School Board members might need to hear some encouragement, too. Since I live in the Mat-Su Borough (Wasilla), I’m happy to say I’d already written them, but here’s a link to the Mat-Su School Board with contact links for anyone interested.
http://www.matsuk12.us/1733109416455747/site/default.asp
weaver @78:
I read that article in the H-L. Robinson is creepy and so is the conservative radio guy Conway. But I was feeling overall positive by the article and most of the comments seemed progressive.
http://www.kentucky.com/latest_news/story/919689.html
mary b–yeah, here they started back on 31 Aug.; up north (Anch. and such) I think they started back on 17 Aug. What a bunch of nut cases!
RouletteRog–oooo, yeah, it HAS to be! 😉
” Why, if those lefty socialist Marxist Communist fascists had their way, all our kids would end up in college; or worse, Grad School! “This cannot stand,” sayeth the wingnuts!”
Great post, as usual.
If President Obama were any of those listed, Marxist, Commie, etc, they wouldn’t have their, oh what do you call it…….RIGHTS to Freedom of Speech, Assembly, what have you. We would be living under Martial Law, the kind Cheney almost pulled off.
What the eff is wrong with these people?
By the way, where I live, in a hell hole, no, southern red state, our kids went back t school Aug. 14th. So, I have no idea what our wing nuts will be bit*hing about.
It is understandable that the far right wing nuts are concerned. If kids stay in school and learn, there won’t be a next generation of ignorant fools to follow Fox news and Glen Beck.
I knew that my differential equations class was an evil liberal plot…
> weaver57 Says:
September 3rd, 2009 at 8:23 AM
Oh brother, this takes the cake! The Chairman of the Kentucky Republican party “said Obama’s desire to speak directly to America’s school children is ‘very concerning and kind of creepy’.” And he goes on to say that the speech was an effort on behalf of the president “to circumvent parents” and “gain direct access to our children.” Where does creepy come from? Our country is getting dumber and dumber.
==========
It’s understandable — not acceptable, just understandable — when you consider that the words they’re using are the same sort of stuff wingers say protesting sex education in schools. It’s a play on the “sexual predation” meme used in that campaign ad, and it harkens back to Birth of a Nation protect-our-women-from-the-blacks.
64 trisha 9/3/09 5:14 AM
“I live in Utah and this “evil video” was on news last night. The Principal who showed this in on school is in trouble because she dared to show this video from the President in school. I kid you not.”
A few weeks back I sent Oren Hatch an E-Mail to say that My Great grandfather came from Denmark to Utah in 1863 and that I was ashamed to say I was born in Utah. I am sure it fell on deaf ears.
60
CAdillrye 9/3/09 at 3:41 AM
“By the way, Dannon is still sponsoring Glenn Beck. You can give Jamie Lee Curtis’s agent a call and ask the “Activia” lady to stop her support of Mr. Beck. Agent is Rick Kurtzman; 424-288-2000. You can also go to colorofchange.com and join their fight against hate.”
I just called his office and passed the message that I suspect that Ms Curtis would not be a follower of Glen Beck and he should find out because it would have an effect on how I processed her advice on many issues.
Boy I am glad I have VOIP otherwise this year could get expensive.
Just received a + response from Jeff Friedman, Anchorage School Board.
It seems as though racism is alive and well in this fine land of ours.
77 inkberries Says:
September 3rd, 2009 at 8:15 AM
We have the same kind of nonsense going on here in Florida. The Florida GOP put out a statement about Obama’s socialist agenda etc., etc. Now there are parents threatening to keep their children home that day, rather than being “forced” to listen to a speech on the importance of staying in school…..
Yes, that makes sense.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It’s amazing that FOX news showcases just how racist the right is, promoting Jim Greer’s ridiculous, hate baiting nonsense.
It’s so bad, that they can’t allow their children to listen to the president because he’s biracial.
Do they really think this making the republican party look good?
They are terrified because the minority will be the majority in 5 to 10 years.
In the very idea of losing control, they have lost their collective minds!
They know they have treated the minority in a despicable manner and what they are truly afraid of is retribution.
They assume that the minority is as hate filed and callous as they are.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/sep/02/republican-party-florida/republican-party-florida-says-obama-will-indoctrin/
In ruling on Greer’s statement, we wondered whether we should give him latitude for legitimate commentary on Obama’s speech.
But he crossed a line when he said that Obama intended to discuss “plans for government-run health care, banks, and automobile companies” and other policy matters not germane to education.
That is factually incorrect, and the party could not offer any support for the statement. For raising the specter of socialist ideology and indoctrination, the party takes its claim to an additional, absurd level.
We rate the Republican Party of Florida’s statement Pants on Fire!
The same thing is happening in North Texas. The newspaper headline is “Obama speech to kids sets off parent furor.”
Most school districts are getting very negative input from parents and threats to keep their kids out of school on that day if the speech is shown in schools.
I’m stunned. Again.
Oh brother, this takes the cake! The Chairman of the Kentucky Republican party “said Obama’s desire to speak directly to America’s school children is ‘very concerning and kind of creepy’.” And he goes on to say that the speech was an effort on behalf of the president “to circumvent parents” and “gain direct access to our children.” Where does creepy come from? Our country is getting dumber and dumber.
We have the same kind of nonsense going on here in Florida. The Florida GOP put out a statement about Obama’s socialist agenda etc., etc. Now there are parents threatening to keep their children home that day, rather than being “forced” to listen to a speech on the importance of staying in school…..
Yes, that makes sense.
One of the most controversial policies came out of the Bush administration — No Child Left Behind. Where were the conservative complainers then?
It’s amazing that FOX news shows just how racist the right is.
It’s so bad, that they can’t allow their children to listen to the president because he’s biracial.
Do they really think this making the republican party look good?
They are terrified because the minority will be the majority in 5 to 10 years.
In the very idea of losing control, they have lost their collective minds!
Experiment: By school disctrict compare and contrast the number of complaints received and the academic performance of the school.
One suspects there’s an inverse relationship there.
Or, to put it more bluntly, you’ve got a crapload of racists breeding ignorance like hog cholera in a cess pool.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2009/09/03/white-house-withdraws-students-help-obama/
The suggested classroom exercises have been changed to calm the crazies. They’ve removed the bit about “what can I do for the President” and the part about writing a letter to him. Instead, the kids will be encouraged to write a letter to themselves about goals.
What kills me is that if Palin wanted to give a speech to the kids and it included talk of being a warrior for God, the shooting of wolves and the reason war is good, they’d make it a high holy day. They would call the parents that didn’t want their children hearing about war, unpatriotic haters.
If the internet had been around for any president in the past 100 years, they all would’ve used it.
This poor guy just wanted to come in and do good for the country. I think he needs a new czar – one that understands the crazies . Someone that would’ve seen the “what can i do for the president” question on that lesson plan and known immediately that it needed to be reworded. The President’s head doesn’t work that way. He doesn’t get how unhinged they are.
they might as well pull their children from school permanently, then. He is President and the Secretary of the Department of Education is appointed by him, and evil federal money runs the schools……..
He is the Boggie Man! OMG!
I home schooled my kids for a few years and if any President had given a speech to school children, I would have had them listen. I don’t think any President would do a speech to school children that was not appropiate.
They are crazies who would denounce their own god, if in fact they believed that Obama actually believed in god.
President Obama bad…Glenn Beck good….
I’m at work so I don’t have time to read all the comments, but I’m assuming that everyone is as flabergasted as I. Last night before our dance lesson I was on my way out front to chat with my friends while they smoked. My husband was coming in to the ballroom and told me “you don’t want to go out there”. I asked “why”? He said that (I’ll call her Emma) was on a rant about how she does not want her child subjected to the President’s brainwashing so when he is on she will take her child out of class. At that point I didn’t know what she was talking about. I do now, however, and I am appalled. My first thought was “way to promote individuality and free thinking!”
How sad. I am frightened for us as a people. I truly am.
((((((HUGS TO ALL MUDPUPS)))))))
karenitTexas, your kind of Christinity, the real kind ,needs no excuse. Thanks for the reminder! If you have a hug handy, we all could use one as well.
I do believe in God and in miracles. Let us never forget that nothing is impossible with God. I have witnessed miracles in several seemingly hopeless situations. I’m letting my faith give me peace amidst all of this chaos. I normally don’t discuss this because of all the misuse of Christianity by bigots; however, I felt that I needed to share this with you. Thanks AKM for being a huge voice for us and for guiding us to what we need to do to make a difference. Never give up on faith!
Gramiam #57…thanks for the pep talk, I think all of us need to re energize and never give up!
My husband was trying to calm me down last night after watching this by telling me that these people are a minority, and the majority of people voted for Obama. BUT, it’s the crazies that are getting all of the attenion from the media. A lot of people who are not paying attention get sucked in to the anti-Obama message.
If most people are against this kind of hate (and disresprect) toward the President, how do we make an impact and let our voices be heard? I’m doing all the letters, phone calls, boycotts,etc. But, it seems like there needs to be a huge rally where we say, We want our country back…..from these haters.
I am feeling blue….like the hate is winning.
I live in Utah and this “evil video” was on news last night. The Principal who showed this in on school is in trouble because she dared to show this video from the President in school. I kid you not.
Some groups (ie: Eagle Forum, which is a group of Mormon “hate” activists that heavily influences legislation here) were on the news saying that the video was liberal propaganda and was asking children to “serve” President Obama. The leader, this awful woman named Gail said (in a snarky tone), “We don’t “serve” our President…we serve the Lord”. This video asks children to “serve” the President….how dare he…..
I know the video doesn’t ask children to “serve” him, but the news never corrected her accusation. I was so steamed last night that I could not sleep.
I am just stunned at what is happening in this nation right now. The hate is
beyond disgusting. I really thought we had come further than this in America, but this is getting insane.
BTW, the Eagle Forum hates gays and is against any gay rights, they don’t believe in global warming, are against anything that President Obama would propose. They spew a lot of hate in the name of God.
Think Palin and company….but a Mormon version.
For an historical look at how other presidents have called on children to be part of a solution and give of themselves, here is a link to President Bush’s request for children to send in a dollar to help the children of Afghanistan. http://www.awesomelibrary.org/BushAsks.html
Here’s the link the politifact ruling on Obama’s “Indoctrination” speech to students http://tinyurl.com/kvr7v7
BTW, it rates a “pants on fire.”
I don’t remember President GH Bush’s 1991 speech, though if available to us, we would have shown it. IF is the word. Eighteen years ago, few rural schools had television service. We had no satellite nor cable. Certainly no internet. Some people had VCRs, but you had to be a home to tape, IF you had a VCR and IF you got TV reception that wasn’t real snowy.
I do remember his son asking children to send in $1 each (I think on a Saturday broadcast) for the children of Afghanistan. Mine own children did, but then the anthrax in envelope stuff happened. I never did hear how much was collected and how it was used.
On a very personal note, the comments here make me proud. When I got home from school yesterday, I was so mad about people calling the school. I was singing to the choir in the faculty lounge, but I really wanted to tell you all because I knew you would understand. I needed to go to the town hall, though. I was so bummed last night, but reading this post and the comments makes me want to shower up and get back to the classroom.
And, as I left the town hall, two of my students ran up to me, eager to share what they had learned. They each came with their parents. Now there is an example of some family values!
They just can’t stand the fact that the President is black. This is the underlying reason for all these side trips to the rightwing nut farms.
These people were on the evening “news” here as “the majority of parents appear to be frightened” by this. Ours is a red state so it would figure that the majority, however small, would be leaning right.
They all sound the same, too, so it is a form letter protest like the healthcare scare letter making the rounds. I stopped getting this type of mail after stating my obvious distain for the hatred motivating them.
I’m like so many of the other people who have posted; I find what is going on so hard to believe. Even though I live in California, I just emailed Carol Comeau to thank her for standing up to this. I’m going to contact our local schools to inform them that they, too, should stand up to this.
There is so much frustration being expressed at different places on the internet, and I hear it from people around me, about all the hateful, ugly behavior taking place in our country. People don’t seem to know what to do.
I think the problem is that as we all know hate and fear unites and energizes. The right wing sheep have their leaders who are uniting them. We are not in that position. Encourging each other to take action, speak up, write letters, make phone calls, and send emails, is our only way.
I think it is time for the anti-hate side to have a leader. I nominate AKMuckracker. I’m dead serious about this. How can we get her a talk radio show?
By the way, Dannon is still sponsoring Glenn Beck. You can give Jamie Lee Curtis’s agent a call and ask the “Activia” lady to stop her support of Mr. Beck. Agent is Rick Kurtzman; 424-288-2000. You can also go to colorofchange.com and join their fight against hate.
Why doesn’t respect and caring for others unite and energize the way hate and fear do? I guess it will have to be anger and frustration that unites us.
Where was the big uproar when John McCain went and gathered school children to fill his campaign rally when no one showed up. Bussed them there without permission slips from parents and exposed them to a partisan point of view that their parents may or may not have agreed with and may not wanted them to attend it. I have never seen a President be so disrespected like President Obama. I keep feeling like I’m in some kind of time warp and it’s still the 1960’s, we as a nation are regressing instead of progressing and its really, really a sad thing to watch.
Fired Up! Ready to Go!
Here is a question that really begs for an answer. I wonder how many of the “haters” even bothered to vote in the Presidential election. Maybe part of their rage stems from the fact that they didn’t vote for any candidate, much less our President.
Well, I’m here to tell you that if ANYBODY is gonna take back this country, it is going to be those of us who could only watch as haters murdered two Kennedy brothers and Martin Luther King, those of us who watched the news every night and saw our brothers,spouses and friends brought home in body bags from Vietnam, those of us who have seen yet another corrupt gang of politicians sell us out in yet another senseless war. They have already put our children and grandchildren at risk by ignoring the Health Care Crisis and interfering with their education in some knee-jerk reaction to Our duly elected President using his “bully” pulpit to inspire and encourage our young people to strive and thrive in school. I simply can’t…no, I won’t take one more day of this insanity! To hell with Sarah Palin. To hell with Glenn Beck, to hell with Sean Hannity, Michelle Bachmann and the rest of the haters and bigots and thugs. You want a war, all you haters? Well, with this lady you’ve got one. You had better be ready for me! I fight dirty, I fight hard and I fight to my dying breath before I let you have one more INCH!
Geezez – I’m so sick of the radical fringe and their racist nonsense. I think right now I need to go listen to some Jack Johnson and mellow out. Where’d All The Good People Go? should be a good place to start.
Carol Comeau appreciates the support. My e-mail to her: Thank you, Carol Comeau for being a voice of reason. The disrespect being shown this president by some is appalling. I certainly appreciate your response to these troglodytes. Her response: Thank you; I am very upset with all of this….in fact, I am in shock.
I urge everyone to contact her and let her know we back her play.
Mudpups….remember how you felt when AKM was outed by Doogan? Or when Palin ignored the rural villages? Or when Beck called Obama a “racist with a deep-seated hatred of whites?”
What did we do?…. We got on the horn. We sent emails. We roared! Anger is one of the most potent motivators out there (sadly enough).
Similarly, these people calling the schools against PO are angry too. Blind hate and anger are motivating them to try to impose their racist biases on school boards and teachers in order to shut out the President from talking to America’s youth.
Our challenge is to step up whether we feel personally angry or not about a particular issue and make our voices heard to counteract the angry protestors who have shifted social debates to the extreme right. Don’t wait for the impetus of anger to get you moving…..GET MOVING because all emotions aside it’s the RIGHT thing to do for our kids and our country. It takes character and integrity to get things done over the long-haul……not just raw emotions over the short term.
And there’s a lot more of us….
Because I am in Chicago, Hyde Park/Kenwood neighborhood, and because I don’t have school age children, and because I don’t have cable, I was unaware of how absolutely nutty that anyone could even suggest keeping children out of school because of an address by the POTUS.
It is an abomination that this kind of virulent hatred festers because our duly elected president is Barack H. Obama. I am saddened by the perceived righteousness of many of hate-filled voices and their behavior in the 21st century.
Someone (earlier) mentioned the film ‘Idiocracy’ released in 2007 (with Maya Rudolph and ?) which dealt with the devolution of a totally dumbed-down America 500 years from now. It was not so funny because it appears quite possible based on the rabid, ignorant, bilious ravings last year and happening more overtly since January 20, 2009. I know that we are much better than the worst and loudest ‘of the people.’ ‘Post racial’ it seems, is not where we are and/or where some of us ever want to be. Lord have mercy on us.
In our constitutional quest ‘to form a more perfect union’ the idiots among us see only $$$ and care little about others not exactly like themselves. Change happens. Hope is. Love transforms. I am encouraged because of the faith in ‘our better angles’ here with other ‘flatters. Yes we can!
I sent the e-mail to her work address referenced in AKM’s piece, that is late hours.
I just got a personal reply from Carol Comeau, Superintendent
Anchorage School District. She read it and referenced it, she sure gets a kudo from me. I did not expect a speedy read and reply, wow.
Thank you Bones – very wonderful letter. I feel better!
This what I wrote and sent to the entire school board
“Dear People,
I do not have any children in your school district.
I am sorry to hear you have been getting negative contacts regarding President Obama’s upcoming speech.
I graduated High School in 1961, we had a charismatic president that ran in my junior year, he was inspiring.
I only wish that we had had the opportunity to have a speech directed to us by President Kennedy.
This is an excellent opportunity to expose your students to another superb public speaker, that may well be an inspiration to many of your students.
Thank You for your time and consideration”
I knew things would be challenging after Obama got elected, but I don’t think I had a sense of how bad it would be – I hope we can keep on moving forward – – There is no arguing with the form of racism and hatred that is taking hold of some people. The saner, clearer and more relevant we can be the better for all of us. I fear what will happen if we get caught up in the emotional whirlwind.
Lisa@45 ~ “So much is being lost because of a bunch of loud mouth idiots.”
Just like the Health Care Reform townhalls!
I am so impressed with the comments I have read. They are taking this too far. We previously had a president that made so many choices so many disagreed with, but yet, as an American president- (if he ever choose to) making a speech to our children about education would have been welcomed. The fact a president, esp one that can reach at risk, or potentially at risk students, is willing to step out and do this, is remarkable. So much is being lost because of a bunch of loud mouth idiots. And thank you Carol, again, for not allowing a few to ruin it for the rest.
History Goddess: I am with you on this. I cannot believe this is going on.
First of all, OMG! What is going on??? I have been surfing the nets tonight on this subject and apparently Bush #1 did the very same thing back in 1991. I wonder if the same people who are outraged now by this “indoctrination” were blowing their fuses back then. As pointed out earlier in this thread, GWB was attending school children at the time of the 9/11 attack (famously, I might add). He was reading to and addressing school children.
I wouldn’t be surprised if all of our presidents did not make an effort to reach out to our school kids and encourage them. When did this become suspect???? I guess when we elected Barack Obama. Those who can’t accept that fact are out showing their true colors.
Since when is it deplorable for our President to reach and and encourage our school children???? I really don’t get it.
Thanks, fawnskinmudpuppy @ 37! Good to know there are other blue bubbles out here floating in this sea of red.
@29 boodog: Hey, now, LOTR is not that bad.
I wonder what would happen if Obama were to ask Republicans to *not* jump off a bridge.
Make that four very blue liberals in/near Fort Worth. Today’s local NBC affiliate ran a poll asking whether the President’s speech to American school children should be shown; of course, over 50% of the hatemongers said no.
I am terrified for the safety of President Obama and his family. Our nation is so broken right now that the real terrorists may have already defeated us. May God help us, indeed!
This is crazy. The right-wingers can’t be civil and respectful. I am happy the president is doing this. What a great inspiration he is for all ethnic groups. Truly he is the verification to the statement glibly tossed around in this country “anyone can grow up to be president.” He should be seen on TV speaking on this important topic and calling every ethnic, gang enticed student to be more than they have been told they could be by their environment. Let’s all hear him. Call and e-mail all concerned at the schools and school district. Please, everyone.
@12 phoebe: There are yahoos in Santa Rosa, as there are everywhere. Take heart, though; they’re not in the majority, they’re just loud. Santa Rosa is kind of a weird place. For a long time it was the “big city” in a very rural area. Now it’s a bigger city, but the area isn’t so rural anymore. Many of the “old-timers” are having trouble with that. Many of the civic institutions (like the newspaper) are still “old-timer” oriented.
Ignore ’em. Or argue with them, if you prefer. But remember that most of your neighbors are regular human beings.
Today I got the e-mail from our sup’t that parents had been calling and if we plan to show President Obama’s message to students, we must plan an alternate activity for students whose parents opt them out of the class activity. SERIOUSLY!!! I didn’t even know he was giving that speech yet, but apparently Michelle Malken or whatever her name is, talk radio, FOX and their websites were all over it and telling people to contact their schools.
I have taught for 32 years. My students watch every political address by a president. We compare speeches. We analyze them. It does not matter what I think of the speaker. That is not the purpose. The president is the president and the office should be respected. Listening to a speech in its entirety, without filters, is what we should all be doing. Students aren’t stupid and they actually have pretty good BS detectors IF THEY HEAR THE WHOLE THING THEMSELVES!!!
I am still fuming. No parent has requested to see the lesson plan that would go with the speech, they are saying no to hearing the president speak.
And the friggin’ irony??? Yesterday my class watched film clips of President Nixon going to China. That’s right. Communist China. Palling around with commies was Tricky Dick. Today they listened to a short speech on how we could save energy (1973): close gas stations from midnight Saturday through Sunday, lower thermostats 6 degrees, drive 50 mph, no Christmas lights…
Should I have sent home letters? Sounds like gov’t gettin’ into the business of the people to me. Sounds like getting chummy with communists.
I am still very mad. Since when did good Americans start refusing to listen to a sitting, duly elected president and call it patriotic? Why would anyone deny students the ability to listen to the president, especially when it is about education and volunteerism.
I was so angry that I almost didn’t go to the town hall on health care. But, I can’t let the idiots win. I’m glad I went. Brian Baird is awesome, and for the most part, people were polite. I may not like what they clapped in favor of, but I love my country and its freedoms enough to support their right to listen to Glen Beck and parrot his drivel. Besides, a couple of anti people made some a few good points I will have to research. Had I closed my mind, I might have missed it. Having at least a partial open mind can lead to some good things.
Finally, apparently a lot of schools are getting lots of calls. As a patron, if not a parent, please call your local schools in support of having the president be heard without constraints. The squeaky wheels are getting a voice that is way too loud, and way too dangerous.
hey duchess…
my sissy lives right there in ft worth with you.
so you know you’ve got someone on your side if you need reinforcements!
@Mag that is just so scary. That they can believe people are marching in the streets smashing the windows of Christians, making laws requiring them to wear yellow crosses on their sleeves, confiscating their property…..
I am shaking my head in disbelief. This is just so sad, I don’t know what else to say.
Mag – they are just dining room tables. No chance to get thru to them.
I had lunch today with one of the haters. She absolutely believes President Obama is the Antichrist, that America is in the same situation that Germany was in the early 30’s, except that Christians are now in the place of Jews, and that America has been literally going to hell since 1962, when prayer in school was banned. There was no way to engage her in any kind of reasonable dialogue. I suspect that there’s no dealing with the parents who plan to keep their kids out of school.
It is totally mindboggling how people can be so stupid!!! To hurt their children and themselves because of petty, emotional prejudices. We don’t all have to have the same belief systems, the same political views… why can’t we learn that and how to cooperate and get things done for the good of all, not just out of emotion condemn those who have different views?
The far right has very effectively used the tools of fear so that peoples minds have become effectively closed. And there are not signs of it changing.
Personally, I’d take the ‘pep talk’ -slash- brainwashing -slash- political speech -slash- librul-biased address given to my kids by Obamanation**, and turn it into the proverbial “teachable moment.”
What I’d do, is: make SURE my kids went to school that day. And I’d tell them to pay particular attention to what Obamanation spouted at them, and that they should take notes on it, too (for later discussion/evidence.)
I would watch the so-called ‘non-political’ address on the internet, and you can be sure I’d be taking careful notes on what he spouts, too.
Then, when my kids got home, I’d sit them down (with their notes and my notes) and we’d go through the points, one by one. And, one by one, I could tell my children why what Obamanation told them does not fit into our family values. I’d tell them, again, what our family firmly believes in and how Obamanation’s address to them is not only undermining those beliefs, but is further proof of his darkly communist, socialist, marxist, islamist, fascist leanings.
It’ll be great. Real bonding time for me and my kids — quality time.
And the best part of it?
I can tell my kids, again, that they need to have the intelligence, strength, and independence to stand up and question –actually question— the nonsense they hear from ‘authority figures,’ because, sure as they’re born, the ‘authority figures’ will keep trying to push lies at them. They have to stand up; if they don’t, they’ll just be pushovers who’ll fall for any old tripe! Just like Obamanation is trying to do.
And how do I know all about Obamanation trying to push lies on me and my family? Well, jeeze-Louise…EVERYONE knows that’s what he’s doing! At least, all the conservative people know; our conservative leaders (both political and religious) keep us ‘in the loop’ on this type of thing so we don’t fall for all the ebil librul lies. I’d, really, be lost without them looking out for me; without them telling me how -and what- to think.
So, yeah, that’s how I would handle Obamanation trying to weasel his librul ideas and ways into my children by talking to them; I’ll be darned if I’m going to let him undermine our family values, by talking to my children about “education.” Sheesh! beth.
**(or “by any other president”…just to make it clear I’m not a racist nor are those I’m addressing racists, either.)
[Beth now removes her tongue from her cheek–the left side, where it’s been firmly planted for the above. b.]
and to live HERE sometimes!
I really think these people, besides being racists, only read fantasy and conspiracy books ( The Lord Of the Rings, Bible, etc.) if you go by the comments they make. Yet higher education (anything above 8th grade? sorry) is too elite. I am so saddened to live her sometimes..
another one of those times [there seem to be so many of them lately!!] when i feel like i’m living in a pretty F-ed up backwater instead of the wonderfully vibrant and energized west coast city it could possibly be.
i may not have had much affection for george w. bush, but i wouldn’t have tried to prevent my kids from listening to him at school. dumbasses!
“It sucks to be blue in a state so red”
I think there is a whole country album in this one! That is exactly how I feel in Alaska.
Naomi #11:
LOL! Truth be told, he was “indoctrinating” the school children about “My Pet Goat” and waiting for his commander to tell him what to do. Tee hee. Love your comment!
If I’d have left out “so” from the earlier post it would have actually made sense. D’oh!
Naomi @11- Best comment!!!!
I’m in Ft. Worth, TX tonight & heard on the news about Obama’s speech to school kids. As usual, they’re going all ape#*?).
My RRR (Rabid Republican Relative – Dad) sat there exclaiming, “I knew it! I knew it! I JUST knew it!” He’s a lost cause I’m afraid. Fox “News” 24/7 has rotted his brain.
There are people here who are going to keep their kids home from school to “protect them from this political speech.” They all say without knowing what the president will say to their kids, so they don’t trust that it will be appropriate! Can you IMAGINE if anyone had done that to BUSH?!
It sucks to be so blue in a state so red. . . There’s a country song there if anyone’s game. 🙂
I hadn’t decided whether to take the class time to have a lesson based on the speech for my middle school kids, but I certainly will now!
OK, you know what? I’ve had enough of this nonsense. If these crazy right-wing racists can not tolerate their children being given advice from a President who is black then they can stuff it. I feel very sorry for the children who have idiotic parents. However – there are plenty of other children and other parents who would love a good role model to interact with. So let them be the ones to benefit.
As I have said before – true colours are coming through from the right wing.
This is happening everywhere, so wherever you live (in the US), it wouldn’t hurt to let your local board members know that you think it is okay for children to listen to the President of the United States. It used to be the conservatives who complained that students weren’t being taught patriotism, civics, respect for the office, etc.
Sooo, these ignorant racists believe they’re making a political statement by keeping their children ignorant. Meanwhile, African-American and Hispanic kids are completely inspired to aim for the stars and work hard to get there ….
This story reminded me that my daughter went on a rant because last spring she was helping her son with his history,I guess it was and It was about Moses and Jesus ect.She said she did not know what to do that if she wanted him to learn those things it would be in Sunday school not in school.I thought that a public school could not have text books that taught religion.School is for reading science writing and arithmetic I think are the words of old. Of course when I was in school we did say the Lords prayer in school. But in this matter there was no choice given on the matter.Now I have read that in Texas the text books are coming out like that.
This is the first I have read about this particular thing to stupid to even think about,We all watched as the twin towers fell and I was at work so missed the people jumping but a friend told me where to look because the news would not show what was really going on.The MSM and sometimes our government thinks we can’t handle the bad the ugly and the good all at once . Most of us can
There is no way our school district will buckle under to this kind of pressure.
I have confidence in our educators.
Still, e-mailing Carol Comeau might not be a bad idea.
Racists. Ignorant racists.
No other credible explanation for such baffling behavior.
I am wondering about Anchorage. Having witnessed the anti-discrimination fiasco. I am wondering if Prevo (you, know, the guy who is REALLY in charge of Mayor Sullivan and the city) will urge those good Christian folks in his flock to keep kids home from school and away from our President’s address.
well, at least the teachers will know the number of kids whose parents won’t be volunteering to help out in the classroom……..and what happens on day 2 of school? or 3?
is this a good lesson to learn? skip school to make a statement? where were these parents back in the 70’s? eh? so when the child/teenager wants to “make a statement” and skips school – what is the parent to say then?
better to go to class and write down your educational goals. for crying out loud.
i have been writing down goals all my life. this is a smart thing to do. gets a person focused. forces them to articulate their hopes and dreams. the very fact that adultts want to read these lists of goals should empower the children to believe they can achieve their hopes and dreams.
obama is doing what presidents do — inspire a nation and future generations. he gets a big gold star in my heart.
school-skipping parents………raspberries.
I live in Santa Rosa, CA & started reading the papers comments on the internet. It was very disturbing. They are all racist rednecks. Hate the illegals & hate everything about Obama. This is Northern Calif, less than an hour away from Berkeley. What in the hell is going on?
Where was Dubya when the towers fell?
I think we can see why the wingnuts are telling parents to keep kids home and away from a speech JUST FOR THEM. The President of the United States for God’s sake.
Those parents should just don the white hoods and be done with it. They are fooling no one.
Good lord! What is wrong with these people? Honestly! I am dumbfounded at the paranoia and stupidity that is being perpetuated by the wingnuts.
Good on Carol Comeau for taking a stand of reason and putting this whole thing in perspective to the “concerned parents”.
When and where does this all end?
Hey, these people are determined to keep their kids uneducated. Where else will the GOP get its next generation of right wing fringe lunatics otherwise?
My head hurts.
When will it stop.
These crazy protester types make me glad I have no kids, only cats, because we are going to he|| as a country if we are going to be so stupid.
I live in Georgia and these folks are threatening to keep their kids out of school that day. I ask : So you are going to disrupt your child’s attendance record, miss a day of learning, and YOU miss a day of work to prove a point??? How selfish and sad.
I was fortunate to see Hillary Clinton at a fundraiser during the primaries. She talked about how important the study of science was to school kids. She said that she remembered seeing President Eisenhower on TV where he was talking about every kid studying hard, in turn helping their country, and she said, “I felt like he was talking directly to me.”
And then you have these parents. They are putting politics before education of their own kids.
Oh my goodness say it ain’t so! The President actually encouraging students to attend classes, study hard, achieve, be the best they can be. You are absolutely right, oh the horrors of children learning.
What are these people thinking? Seriously, what is going on in their silly little heads?
Yeah Carol – now a world wide heroine!
Seen at assembly meetings, quoted in blogs. You go girl.