I got an email from my daughter's school district supervisor today. He said because of some "controversy" over the upcoming address, no school in my school district would be showing the President's address live. It might be shown later and students will get to opt out of seeing it.
I was torn between just letting this slide or replying. I'd already talked to my 7-year old daughter about the address and she was looking forward to it (she's a big Obama fan but that's probably my fault). She and her 1st-grade class got to see President Obama earlier in the year live on TV and learned about our new President in school. She's now in second grade. After much thought, I felt I had to get my opinion out there to counter whatever pressure the school board must be facing to make this decision. I'll print the supe's letter below and then my response back.
*This is my first letter to my kids schools I have ever done and also the first diary I've actually published at Daily Kos. (Long-time lurker, and professional writer who is breaking his rule against Internet postings [I get obsessed with "someone's wrong on the Internets!" and stop writing the stuff that feeds my hungry children]). Cautiously hits "Post."
The Supe's letter:
Obama’s Opening Day speech faces controversy
Fraser Schools’ Position
On Tuesday, Sep. 8, at noon, President Obama will address the nation’s students. While the White House describes the speech as an attempt to "urge students to take personal responsibility for their own education, to set goals, and to not only stay in school but make the most of it," there are some who feel this is speech has other motivations.
In order to educate the public on the nature of this speech, news reports state that the White House will release the speech on Monday as a preview to its Tuesday delivery.
It should be noted that the idea of the President addressing students at the start of the school year is not new. Both Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush gave addresses to the nation’s youth at the start of school during their administrations.
Due to the fact that this is the opening day of school with many important issues to cover, and due to the controversy surrounding this political issue, Fraser Public Schools will opt not to broadcast the speech live in any of its classes. Nevertheless, since it is the President of the United States talking about the importance of education, teachers will have the choice of showing a recorded version of the speech in their classrooms no earlier than Friday, September 11.
Teachers who choose to show a recorded version of the speech, will notify parents through a note sent home with the student or an email. The note will include class activities regarding the speech and state the day the speech will be shown in class. Parents will have the option to respond to the teacher, requesting that their child not view the speech or participate in the described activities.
It is my hope that any parent requesting the opt-out provision take the time to study the text of the speech before making such a decision. If the speech and the activities match the intentions as stated above, I support the activity.
It sounds quite reasonable, except for the premise that there exists some "controversy" in the first place. The supe does mention that other Presidents have done the same thing and that he supports the event. I still couldn't just let the issue slide, though. I sent off the following email immediately after I read the supe's letter:
Sir,
I find myself disappointed that "Fraser Public Schools will opt not to broadcast the [President Obama] speech live in any of its classes." I remember such addresses from Ronald Reagan when I was a child and my own interest in politics and our government today stems from just such an exposure to government as introduced in the public school. I remember the Weekly Reader Election Polls (which have predicted quite accurately most of the last several Presidential elections) in school and voting for Ronald Reagan (and discussing the candidates and issues in class). As for addressing students on the first day of school, as you pointed out, Reagan and the senior Bush did the same thing. (Might I remind you of President Bush reading My Pet Goat to schoolchildren on 9-11...)
When my daughter asked me why she wasn't going to get to see the President address her and the rest of the children in America as many Presidents have done, I was tempted to tell her the real reason: our legally and democratically-elected President is both black and a Democrat and certain people have a problem with that. This is a clumsy, spiteful attack and disrespect on our President. I appreciate that there might be pressure from the "Tea-Baggers" or "Birthers" (who believe President Obama was not born in America) or simply from conservative Republicans who genuinely don't like the President. So be it, it's a free country to like whom you'd like. But, now it prevents my children from seeing a Presidential address that stresses the importance of education and staying in school. I believe there might be some communistic ideas of self-responsibility and hard work mentioned as well. We are a bi-racial family (German and Japanese) and my daughter has already experienced racism (both here in Michigan and in Japan, so ain't no place perfect yet) and I will not tell her that racism is the reason. However, I will teach her the importance of respecting the office of the President, despite the political affiliation or race of the office holder. Full disclosure: I am a Government employee [exact office and title redacted for privacy] who is speaking strictly for himself.
I just wanted to express my viewpoint, because for Fraser Schools to decide not to air the address live, there surely must have been some pressure. I myself come from Kansas and was raised conservatively (my father is a Baptist minister) and have seen lots of pressure to prevent the teaching of evolution, sex education, and similar religious concerns in the public schools. I vehemently disagree with such a confluence of religion and education and I hope that Fraser Schools is not letting politics influence what should be fairy apolitical: the President of the United States addressing the youth of America about the importance of education. (By the way, are we going to have to go through this again when the Presidential Fitness Initiative or whatever comes up and people think President Obama is trying to brainwash our children by exhorting them to get more physically active?)
Very respectfully,
SciFiGuy [name changed]
Of course, I thought of a hundred things I should have said as soon as I sent it but I thought it was probably somewhat more cogent than most of the Birther screeds he must be getting. I'm thinking of sending a similar version to our local paper or the Detroit Free Press. I can't believe that this is an issue. When I first heard about the "controversy," I thought "Well, as racist as Michigan can get, at least there won't be any of that nonsense about President Obama addressing the kids..."