Cross Posted at the OC Progressive
I found out via my Daughter's school website that they will not be showing the President's planned speech on the importance of education. Although I'm profoundly disappointed by the decision I have chosen to send her to school anyway.
Here is the statement by her school...
Oak Grove's plan for the President's speech is as follows:
* Oak Grove will not be watching the President's speech on the first day of school.
* Teachers have the choice of showing the speech in their classroom, however, they will need to preview the speech on Tuesday night in order to make an informed decision.
* If a teacher decides to show the speech, they will do so on Friday, September 11th.
* Teachers will notify parents about the status of the speech for their classroom.
* Parents must send a written note to their child's teacher by September 10th stating one of the following: 1) my child, ___, has my permission to watch the President's speech at school on September 11th. OR 2) my child, __, does not have my permission to watch the President's speech at school. Please provide an alternative activity. Parents must sign and date the written note.
* The school will provide an alternative grade level activity for those students who are being opted out of watching the speech if their teacher decides to show the speech in their classroom on 9/11.
Posted by: Monet Hause
Published:9/7/09
I personally emailed Principal Hause to ask her to give parents the choice and it's obvious they are doing that, just not on the day the speech airs live.
I don't believe keeping my six year old home will in any way change this decision or have a huge impact on her school's choice. I do believe I would be doing a disservice to my child by keeping her home on her first day of first grade however and that it would be a choice that put ideology over my daughter's best interest.
My family lives in a very red district and the fact that Obama's speech is not going to be shown does not shock me but it still saddens me none-the-less that ideology has come before what is indeed best for our children. That means putting aside our highly partisan bickering to concentrate on the most important part of the day and that's encouraging our children to strive to be excellent. Not just to themselves but to others, especially those who do not share our exact values and political views. This is what holds a Country together despite the vast divide that seems to be tearing it apart at this time.
So how do we set an example? We embrace those difference, we look at them with a critical eye and we acknowledge our neighbor's right to believe differently. We teach tolerance and acceptance and we teach our children that they will someday have an enormous power of their own and that is to vote for who they think best represents those values.
Our family will watch this together tomorrow evening (via the dvr) and discuss it. It will be an opportunity for us to learn something. A public education does not deter parents from teaching things outside of the classroom, in fact it's imperative that a parent attempt to do so.
Education is a life time pursuit that relies on every situation as a means to learn something new and as parents we have the means and the right to attempt to make each new challenge a new lesson. This too is an opportunity to do so and I hope others will contemplate how to handle this frustrating situation and feel good about the outcome regardless.
As someone on the Huffington Post said (paraphrasing)... You are either part of society or you are not, you cannot have it both ways. If you send your kids to public school you can't expect the Government to stay out of your business.
Public schools are a place for President's to speak to students and for parents to make choices. This is what's called "being a grownup" and having to face difficult decisions on behalf of your child. I just wish that it had not happened in this manner.
When our President asks what we can do to help him it's not about his agenda but about making this a better Country for everyone. This is the most important lesson of all and some people are never going to understand this or admit that Barack Obama might just want to do only that, make the Country better for everyone.
No lesson plan or conversation will convince them otherwise. That's the loss.