Kids can’t listen to Obama, but they can watch “Jersey Shore.” Only in America.
President Obama told kids that education is critical to their lives and the country's future. (AJC file)
Several of you are commenting on President Obama’s speech in a way that suggests you didn’t hear or read it. If your children did not hear it in their schools, it is worth sharing with them, especially the short bios the president provided of teens making a difference in their communities.
In one of the most contradictory conversations of my week, I fell into small talk with a woman at a sports field and it came up that I am from New Jersey. She told me she knows nothing about my home state except what she sees on “Jersey Shore,” which is her children’s favorite reality TV show. Later in the conversation, she told me that she would never would have allowed her kids to watch the Obama speech had it been shown at their private school.
OK, I thought, your kids can’t hear Obama talk about the power of education but they can watch a crass TV show that venerates drinking, carousing and ignorance.
We live in strange times.
So, for the sake of accuracy, here is the entire Obama speech, which was delivered at a Washington high school this year:
Now, it is great to be here at Benjamin Banneker High School, one of the best high schools not only in Washington, D.C., but one of the best high schools in the country. (Applause.) But we’ve also got students tuning in from all across America. And so I want to welcome you all to the new school year, although I know that many of you already have been in school for a while. I know that here at Banneker, you’ve been back at school for a few weeks now. So everything is starting to settle in, just like for all your peers all across the country. The fall sports season is underway. Musicals and marching band routines are starting to shape up, I believe. And your first big tests and projects are probably just around the corner.
I know that you’ve also got a great deal going on outside of school. Your circle of friends might be changing a little bit. Issues that used to stay confined to hallways or locker rooms are now finding their way onto Facebook and Twitter. (Laughter.) Some of your families might also be feeling the strain of the economy. As many of you know, we’re going through one of the toughest economic times that we’ve gone through in our lifetime — in my lifetime. Your lifetime hasn’t been that long. And so, as a consequence, you might have to pick up an after-school job to help out your family, or maybe you’re babysitting for a younger sibling because mom or dad is working an extra shift.
So all of you have a lot on your plates. You guys are growing up faster and interacting with a wider world in a way that old folks like me, frankly, just didn’t have to. So today, I don’t want to be just another adult who stands up and lectures you like you’re just kids — because you’re not just kids. You’re this country’s future. You’re young leaders. And whether we fall behind or race ahead as a nation is going to depend in large part on you. So I want to talk to you a little bit about meeting that responsibility.
It starts, obviously, with being the best student that you can be. Now, that doesn’t always mean that you have to have a perfect score on every assignment. It doesn’t mean that you’ve got to get straight As all the time — although that’s not a bad goal to have. It means that you have to stay at it. You have to be determined and you have to persevere. It means you’ve got to work as hard as you know how to work. And it means that you’ve got to take some risks once in a while. You can’t avoid the class that you think might be hard because you’re worried about getting the best grade if that’s a subject that you think you need to prepare you for your future. You’ve got to wonder. You’ve got to question. You’ve got to explore. And every once in a while, you need to color outside of the lines.
That’s what school is for: discovering new passions, acquiring new skills, making use of this incredible time that you have to prepare yourself and give yourself the skills that you’re going to need to pursue the kind of careers that you want. And that’s why when you’re still a student you can explore a wide range of possibilities. One hour you can be an artist; the next, an author; the next, a scientist, or a historian, or a carpenter. This is the time where you can try out new interests and test new ideas. And the more you do, the sooner you’ll figure out what makes you come alive, what stirs you, what makes you excited — the career that you want to pursue.
Now, if you promise not to tell anybody, I will let you in on a little secret: I was not always the very best student that I could be when I was in high school, and certainly not when I was in middle school. I did not love every class I took. I wasn’t always paying attention the way I should have. I remember when I was in 8th grade I had to take a class called ethics. Now, ethics is about right and wrong, but if you’d ask me what my favorite subject was back in 8th grade, it was basketball. I don’t think ethics would have made it on the list.
But here’s the interesting thing. I still remember that ethics class, all these years later. I remember the way it made me think. I remember being asked questions like: What matters in life? Or, what does it mean to treat other people with dignity and respect? What does it mean to live in a diverse nation, where not everybody looks like you do, or thinks like you do, or comes from the same neighborhood as you do? How do we figure out how to get along?
Each of these questions led to new questions. And I didn’t always know the right answers, but those discussions and that process of discovery — those things have lasted. Those things are still with me today. Every day, I’m thinking about those same issues as I try to lead this nation. I’m asking the same kinds of questions about, how do we as a diverse nation come together to achieve what we need to achieve? How do we make sure that every single person is treated with dignity and respect? What responsibilities do we have to people who are less fortunate than we are? How do we make sure that everybody is included in this family of Americans?
Those are all questions that date back to this class that I took back in 8th grade. And here’s the thing: I still don’t always know the answers to all these questions. But if I’d have just tuned out because the class sounded boring, I might have missed out on something that not only did I turn out enjoying, but has ended up serving me in good stead for the rest of my life.
So that’s a big part of your responsibility, is to test things out. Take risks. Try new things. Work hard. Don’t be embarrassed if you’re not good at something right away. You’re not supposed to be good at everything right away. That’s why you’re in school. The idea, though, is, is that you keep on expanding your horizons and your sense of possibility. Now is the time for you to do that. And those are also, by the way, the things that will make school more fun.
Down the road, those will be the traits that will help you succeed, as well — the traits that will lead you to invent a device that makes an iPad look like a stone tablet. Or what will help you figure out a way to use the sun and the wind to power a city and give us new energy sources that are less polluting. Or maybe you’ll write the next great American novel.
Now, to do almost any of those things, you have to not only graduate from high school, — and I know I’m just — I’m in the “amen” corner with Principal Berger here — not only do you have to graduate from high school, but you’re going to have to continue education after you leave. You have to not only graduate, but you’ve got to keep going after you graduate.
That might mean, for many of you, a four-year university. I was just talking to Donae, and she wants to be an architect, and she’s interning with a architectural firm, and she’s already got her sights set on what school she wants to go to. But it might, for some other folks, be a community college, or professional credentialing or training. But the fact of the matter is, is that more than 60 percent of the jobs in the next decade will require more than a high school diploma — more than 60 percent. That’s the world you’re walking into.
So I want all of you to set a goal to continue your education after you graduate. And if that means college for you, just getting into college is not enough. You also have to graduate. One of the biggest challenges we have right now is that too many of our young people enroll in college but don’t actually end up getting their degree, and as a consequence — our country used to have the world’s highest proportion of young people with a college degree; we now rank 16th. I don’t like being 16th. I like being number one. That’s not good enough. So we’ve got to use — we’ve got to make sure your generation gets us back to the top of having the most college graduates relative to the population of any country on Earth.
If we do that, you guys will have a brighter future. And so will America. We’ll be able to make sure the newest inventions and the latest breakthroughs happen right here in the United States of America. It will mean better jobs, and more fulfilling lives, and greater opportunities not only for you, but also for your kids.
So I don’t want anybody who’s listening here today to think that you’re done once you finish high school. You are not done learning. In fact, what’s happening in today’s economy is — it’s all about lifelong learning. You have to constantly upgrade your skills and find new ways of doing things. Even if college isn’t for you, even if a four-year college isn’t for you, you’re still going to have to get more education after you get out of high school. You’ve got to start expecting big things from yourself right now.
I know that may sound a little intimidating. And some of you may be wondering how you can pay for college, or you might not know what you want to do with your life yet. And that’s okay. Nobody expects you to have your entire future mapped out at this point. And we don’t expect you to have to make it on your own. First of all, you’ve got wonderful parents who love you to death and want you to have a lot more opportunity than they ever had — which, by the way, means don’t give them a hard time when they ask you to turn off the video games, turn off the TV and do some homework. You need to be listening to them. I speak from experience because that’s what I’ve been telling Malia and Sasha. Don’t be mad about it, because we’re thinking about your future.
You’ve also got people all across this country — including myself and Arne and people at every level of government — who are working on your behalf. We’re taking every step we can to ensure that you’re getting an educational system that is worthy of your potential. We’re working to make sure that you have the most up-to-date schools with the latest tools of learning. We’re making sure that this country’s colleges and universities are affordable and accessible to you. We’re working to get the best class — teachers into the classroom as well, so they can help you prepare for college and a future career.
Let me say something about teachers, by the way. Teachers are the men and women who might be working harder than just about anybody these days. Whether you go to a big school or a small one, whether you attend a public or a private or charter school –- your teachers are giving up their weekends; they’re waking up at dawn; they’re cramming their days full of classes and extra-curricular activities. And then they’re going home, eating some dinner, and then they’ve got to stay up sometimes past midnight, grading your papers and correcting your grammar, and making sure you got that algebra formula properly.
And they don’t do it for a fancy office. They don’t — they sure don’t do it for the big salary. They do it for you. They do it because nothing gives them more satisfaction than seeing you learn. They live for those moments when something clicks; when you amaze them with your intellect or your vocabulary, or they see what kind of person you’re becoming. And they’re proud of you. And they say, I had something to do with that, that wonderful young person who is going to succeed. They have confidence in you that you will be citizens and leaders who take us into tomorrow. They know you’re our future. So your teachers are pouring everything they got into you, and they’re not alone.
But I also want to emphasize this: With all the challenges that our country is facing right now, we don’t just need you for the future; we actually need you now. America needs young people’s passion and their ideas. We need your energy right now. I know you’re up to it because I’ve seen it. Nothing inspires me more than knowing that young people all across the country are already making their marks. They’re not waiting. They’re making a difference now.
There are students like Will Kim from Fremont, California, who launched a nonprofit that gives loans to students from low-income schools who want to start their own business. Think about that. So he’s giving loans to other students. He set up a non-for-profit. He’s raising the money doing what he loves — through dodgeball tournaments and capture-the-flag games. But he’s creative. He took initiative. And now he’s helping other young people be able to afford the schooling that they need.
There is a young man, Jake Bernstein, 17 years old, from a military family in St. Louis, worked with his sister to launch a website devoted to community service for young people. And they’ve held volunteer fairs and put up an online database, and helped thousands of families to find volunteer opportunities ranging from maintaining nature trails to serving at local hospitals.
And then last year, I met a young woman named Amy Chyao from Richardson, Texas. She’s 16 years old, so she’s the age of some of you here. During the summer, I think because somebody in her family had an illness, she decided that she was interested in cancer research. She hadn’t taken chemistry yet, so she taught herself chemistry during the summer. And then she applied what she had learned and discovered a breakthrough process that uses light to kill cancer cells. Sixteen years old. It’s incredible. And she’s been approached by some doctors and researchers who want to work with her to help her with her discovery.
The point is you don’t have to wait to make a difference. You’re first obligation is to do well in school. You’re first obligation is to make sure that you’re preparing yourself for college and career. But you can also start making your mark right now. A lot of times young people may have better ideas than us old people do anyway. We just need those ideas out in the open, in and out of the classroom.
When I meet young people like yourselves, when I sat and talk to Donae, I have no doubt that America’s best days are still ahead of us, because I know the potential that lies in each of you. Soon enough, you will be the ones leading our businesses and leading our government. You will be the one who are making sure that the next generation gets what they need to succeed. You will be the ones that are charting the course of our unwritten history. And all that starts right now — starts this year.
So I want all of you who are listening, as well as everybody here at Banneker, I want you to make the most of the year that’s ahead of you. I want you to think of this time as one in which you are just loading up with information and skills, and you’re trying new things and you’re practicing, and you’re honing — all those things that you’re going to need to do great things when you get out of school.
Your country is depending on you. So set your sights high. Have a great school year. Let’s get to work. Thank you very much, everybody. God bless you. God bless the United States of America.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
160 comments Add your comment
Lee
October 1st, 2011
12:03 am
Teacher in California (no surprise) deducting points from students grades if they say “Bless You” after someone sneezes.
http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/state&id=8372183
That’s a custom that has been around as long as I can remember. Well, that and “Gesundheit”. Leave it to some wack-job teacher to make a captital case out of it.
…and folks in education wonder why people are losing respect for the profession….
Dr. Craig Spinks/ Georgians for Educational Excellence
October 1st, 2011
4:13 am
Dr. John,
My maternal grandmother found fools completely insufferable.
The older I get, the wiser I come to think that Mamie was.
Lee may not understand classroom dynamics
October 1st, 2011
5:11 am
Lee,
Two possibilities in the California case.
One, the guy made an idiot choice to punish students for something innocuous.
Two, the students are pretending to “sneeze” so they can hear the chorus of “Bless you” and then turn around and play the “innocent victim” card. If you don’t think this is a least a possibility, then you don’t understand classroom dynamics.
Similar thing happen here when a group of students decided to “pray” then tried to whine about the teacher violating their rights. And yes some parents, because of their own negative school experiences, would actually support their children, who were doing nothing more than deliberately playing games.
The teacher, well aware of classroom dynamics, merely asked the students if they would like the teacher to accompanying them to their church, so the parents, children, pastor and teacher could talk about respecting elders at school and home, if indeed the children were so sure they were right about what they were doing and the teacher was so wrong.
Suddenly, no one felt the need to pray anymore LOL
That’s called understanding classroom dynamics, and not being held hostage to political correctness and educational psychobabble.
Road Scholar
October 1st, 2011
7:51 am
For those who are against President Obama’s speech and contend he does not support education, have you ever read his books? I thought not! You may actually learn something , that is, if you can read!
Oh and the Repubs in Ga has really done a good job haven’t they? The dumbing of America continues!
Fled
October 1st, 2011
8:06 am
Another day, another reason to be glad to be out of Georgia. Thanks, Maureen, for reminding me several times this week why I will never come back.
To the loudmouth fool would like to pay for tickets: please contact me. I would be delighted to have another set of tickets, in addition to the two I get each year. How can I get the money?
I’ve been wondering what the best thing about living overseas is recently. It is true that my children are receiving a world-class education, that I am paid very well, and that I am doing challenging meaningful work. However, all those benefits pale in comparison to not having to deal with republicans, especially republican parents.
Oh, the hypocrisy the poor little deluded right-wingers engage in: must be the result of never learning to think for themselves. Why don’t you all send a note to William Casey and ask how he was treated? Katie Reeves came barrelling in really fast on that one, based solely on the rumor that he was criticizing W (the worst president ever). Another high point was when Katie (with help from the awful Ashley Widener) made the poor students at Alpharetta High listen to Jenna Bush celebrate the lifelessness of her mind. These are but two examples.
Had enough yet Georgia teachers? Give up. Throw in the towel. Flee. You’ll feel much better the minute you do.
November 6, 2012
October 1st, 2011
8:15 am
@Fled
October 1st, 2011
8:06 am
Another day, another reason to be glad to be out of Georgia. Thanks, Maureen, for reminding me several times this week why I will never come back.
Begone Fled and please don’t come back – Check’s in the mail
November 6, 2012
October 1st, 2011
8:24 am
@Maureen Downey
September 30th, 2011
5:58 pm
@Lee, Given the show’s ratings, it would seem everyone watches it.
Maureen
No, everyone doesn’t watch it. I’ve never watched it and probably never will; however, “Never” is a long time so check back with me in a couple of years. The same with Obummer, I will “Never, Never” respect someone who is as “Anti-American” as he comes across as. On this one, don’t bother checking back.
Jack
October 1st, 2011
8:25 am
Goodbye, Fled. Take Reality with you and don’t let the door hit you in the back. Good riddance.
carlosgvv
October 1st, 2011
8:34 am
Maureen, it’s called “the dumbing down of America” and has steadly been progressing for at least 15 years now.
I love teaching. I hate what it is becoming...
October 1st, 2011
9:30 am
@Less “Teacher in California (no surprise) deducting points from students grades if they say “Bless You” after someone sneezes.”
Lee, you missed the explanation from the teacher, which was that the students repeatedly were sneezing in a loud and exaggerated manner in order to be able to then loudly yell, “BLESS YOU!” thus violating the “do not talk during a test” rule.
This was NOT a case of religious persecution. It was a case of teenagers being obnoxious and trying to get around the rules.
Outrage over things like this is why good teachers are leaving the profession.
Anonmom
October 1st, 2011
9:44 am
I didn’t see anything in the story whereby the teacher was reporting that the kids were intentionally sneezing and “blessing” each other to disrupt class (which I do believe to be possible – particularly when kids are packed in like sardines like we have of 38 to a classroom and this class in Fresno was health) — this guy seemed focused on the origins of “Bless You” as a response (polite response?/courtesy?) to the sneeze and the old wives’ tales behind its origin and, perhaps in “educating” the classroom about modern research showing that they were still going to be okay after the sneeze and didn’t need to “fear the sneeze” (perhaps historically, folks “feared the sneeze”)…. The interview wasn’t focused on classroom disruption.
Blue dog
October 1st, 2011
10:20 am
Those of you on this blog who believe this speech was political and berate the POTUS obviously did not bother to listen to it’s content. You are the same people that refuse to let facts determine who you vote for. You are so lacking in an ability to critically think for yourself that it is poisoning this country.
Example: This GOP led state is about to show many of you how misguided you were to vote for a GOP ticket. The unemployment benefits some of you are drawing are about to be reduced…both in weekly amounts granted, and in number of weeks of eligibility. The reason…in 2002 Ga had 2 billion in the trust fund so they gave businesses a “holiday” from collecting the tax. The fund shrank to 700 million by 2007. The fund was quickly depleted requiring the state to borrow 741 million from the feds. Now these GOP leaders are planning to repay the Feds by reducing the benefits of you out of work citizens, those who can least afford it, rather than ask businesses to pay…businesses who have paid NOTHING for years until 2007. The average unemployment tax is $187 per year…per employee…and nothing is collected on those employees making less than $10,000 per year.
So, you low wage white voters will see first hand what that GOP vote will get you. Their loyalty is to the business community…not you.
Anyone not making $500,000 or more a year that votes Republican is a total fool. Keep buying into that crap you hear from Rush & Co. it will lead you right into the “poor house”…maybe this time many of you will finally see the difference and quit voting… AGAINST YOUR OWN BEST INTEREST!!!
I love teaching. I hate what it is becoming...
October 1st, 2011
10:34 am
Anaonmom @I didn’t see anything in the story whereby the teacher was reporting that the kids were intentionally sneezing and “blessing” each other to disrupt class (”
You are correct. It is not reported in the link Lee provided…however, I read about this yesterday on other educational blogs, and there is a statement from the Superintendent who explains in more detail what was occurring. I wish I had a link, but I was just surfing through educational news, so I do not recall the site.
Neminus
October 1st, 2011
10:41 am
@ Fled. You must not be sending your kids to a DODDS School overseas. Because I can tell you first hand That there are more Republican Military than Democrats. I can also tell you first hand that most of the teachers there are conservative . AND Most of the parents who volunteer within the schools are very conservative. My kids were in DODDS from Kindergarten to Graduation. And Yes they did receive an excellent education.(One was a presidential scholar.) They started their day out with the Pledge of Allegiance. ( It was also recited at almost all school events.) They were taught that freedom comes with a price and that their parents are the ones paying if for everybody else.And if they insisted on acting like thugs they got sent back to the states and it would almost ruin their parents careers. So they were in a safe environment I would send any kid of mine back to a DODDS school any day of the week.. But you might want to be careful. because your kids MIGHT just find out the nonsense you are sprout is not always true.
Evelina M Reese
October 1st, 2011
11:33 am
I read the article and was very impressed by it . I will share it with my school age grandson. I printed it and will take it to my church on tomorrow and share with other school age kids, I will also encourage them to read it on line .
Inman Park Boy
October 1st, 2011
11:49 am
Just so we all understand Maureen, you’re okay with politicizing the classroom? You understand this means any president, any time, any reason. You’re opening the door.
Paulo977
October 1st, 2011
12:20 pm
I love teaching …
“the only agenda I have is to teach my students how to seek out information and to be able to analyze it, rather than letting others do the thinking for them. However, I fear I am fighting a losing battle.”
Please don’t give up …. there are many who agree with you and, if through some sensible political intervention, we see the demise of Standardized Testing together with its punitive cosequences , we might soon be able to provide real learning climates for our kids!
KIM
October 1st, 2011
12:29 pm
First, great article. Second, why do people who respond think the weirdness is because this is Ga??? Most of the people here are from somewhere else and came here thinking they could start over, have a better chance at work, or escape their misery without changing their patterns of behavior. Good luck in Canada. That is a good place to go. Maybe some of your friends would like to go with you. As for holding people down…hey, white friends, when is the last time you tried to discourage anyone or hold anyone down who was wanting to apply a good education? And, black friends of MINE, when is the last time you experienced losing an opportunity because of those wanting to hold you down? Zip, zero, nunca, never,…I am white and I don’t know anyone who ever gets up in the morning wanting to put anyone down, hold them down, or discourage them. Just like you, I am up and out to work, trying to contribute my best. I don’t have time to hold anyone down. So, go to Canada. The fresh air will do you good.
Bama sucks
October 1st, 2011
12:45 pm
“Kids can’t listen to Obama, but they can watch “Jersey Shore.””
Why would kids want to listen to Obama?
sloboffthestreet
October 1st, 2011
12:47 pm
Blue dog
Just so you know, the unemployment problem has affected many states led by both parties. The state unemployment system was geared for the number of weeks allowed by each state for eligible residents to collect. . The feds decided to lend money states didn’t have to allow for the extended benefits. I believe the extention allowed for a total of 96 weeks paid compensation. Yesterday was the deadline to repay the first installment. I believe it just covered the interest on the loans.This is where President Obama failed to lead us out of the financial crisis. A works program would have set him apart from almost every president in our history. This lost opportunity has led us to the problem faced by the majority of our states today. Billions given without Social Security, Unemployment Compensation, Medicare and Federal and State income taxes deducted. Free money with nothing asked in return. No roads, bridges, power plants built. No new schools,,,,,, I added the link below if your interested.
http://www.thelevisalazer.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2289:state-makes-payment-on-federal-unemployment-insurance-interest&catid=52:editorials-letters&Itemid=238
Fled
Once again we hear how wonderful your situation is. I have found people who constantly make claims of a positive change in their life, are often not experiencing these manic feelings in reality People who move on to a happier setting rarely look back or take the time to communicate their new found happiness repeatedly. They normaly just bask in the newly discovered shangri la. Not having first hand knowledge of your surroundings, the only advice I can offer is, Don’t take your family hiking along the borders of Iran, don’t send your children to Italy for their college education and always taste the grapes before you buy them. No one I know likes sour grapes. Oh, thats right. They cop off your hand for such actions in your new homeland. Please disregard my last idea. My bad!
As to your comments about Mr. Casey. Again, the job of an educator is to teach. Not force their personal opinions, beliefs or habits upon the students they have been given the privilege to educate. Your opions or beliefs do not create open minds or higher level thinkers. In fact it does just the opposite. Hope you and your family contine to enjoy your new friends and surroundings.
Teacher2
October 1st, 2011
1:54 pm
Thank you, Blue Dog!! Poor Republicans are voting against their own best interest. Amazing but so true! The sad part is that they cannot figure that out!
Seriously?
October 1st, 2011
2:13 pm
“She told me she knows nothing about my home state except what she sees on “Jersey Shore,”..”
There’s your sign. Feel especially sorry for her children. Ignorance begets ignorance.
Lee may not understand classroom dynamics
October 1st, 2011
3:00 pm
Looks like Lee “got schooled” and doesn’t want to admit it!
bp
October 1st, 2011
4:48 pm
i think that the lady is wrong and i do think that the kids and teens here should watch Obama say his speech. the country is going down hill and Obama is trying to tell them what to do in life, so they can help with the economy one day.
irisheyes
October 1st, 2011
6:03 pm
Maureen, don’t try to figure it out. It will just make your head hurt. I see the same mentality from parents who “can’t afford” school supplies, but their kids can wear $70 shoes.
Very Passionate About Our Schools
October 1st, 2011
6:40 pm
@Byte Me – there is no vaccine, medication or anything for stupidity. Mistakes can be corrected and overcome; stupidity is a lifetime affliction that must be lived with all their lives. How sad they go out of their way to pass this on to their children. And there are two kinds of Republicans – millionaires and suckers and most of these people on this site pushing the Republicans belong to the latter group. We survived eight years of Bush/Cheney shoving us into this mess; we survived eight years of Perdue shoving Georgia further down that deep hole; and quite frankly Repubs don’t have a single person running for President that I would even walk out the front door to waste my time voting for. And Deal is just one of Sonny’s puppets so Georgia won’t be getting out of the hole either.
Derek
October 1st, 2011
9:21 pm
Ultimately…if this tradition to stick…it will have to be carried over by the next few administrations. Obama, being the first to do it, is merely taking his lumps. It is unfortunate that the new tradition of opting out, or outright not showing it, continues based on if your parents voted for whoever is president at the time.
Fled
October 1st, 2011
9:42 pm
@slob: Of all possible adjectives about teaching in Georgia, the last one that comes to mind is “privilege.” I troll this blog, as do others who have fortunately and gratefully moved on, because I put a lot of passion into my work there. Truly, I would like to see the situation improve for the teachers, but even more so for the students, who are not getting an education worthy of the name.
I agree that indoctrination is not teaching, and that is why I would never try to force students to think in any particular way. However, the big problem with the repuke parents is that they fear any idea that does not conform to their right-wing ideology. Of course, the students suffer–but so do the poor teachers who are trying to educate them and show them that truly there are a million ways to be. It’s not so much that teachers have an anti-republican bias, as that reality has an anti-republican bias.
While Georgia remains an educational cesspool, the rest of the world is moving ahead. Enjoy your Koolaid. I don’t mind the fruit of the vine at all.
GA parent/teacher
October 1st, 2011
11:02 pm
Maureen, thank you for sharing this with us. May we all be inspired to encourage all students to have an open mind, to learn things that will enrich their lives, and to become the best they can be. Our country depends on it.
Anonmom
October 1st, 2011
11:14 pm
I always think about JFK, a dem, who is remembered for saying “ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country.” Would he recognize all the BS that is currently being handed out by the dems in DC trying to buy your votes? Or, what about Abe Lincoln a Republican, you know, the one who freed the slaves — who doesn’t get nearly the amount of credit for freedom for the blacks as MLK does? Would he recognize the Christian right’s agenda that keeps poking its head out of the republican voice these days? Who are today’s parties? Really? Anyone really stop to think about what America is really supposed to be and what the politicians are really supposed to be doing? My understanding of it all is that my great-grandparents fled persecution in the old country (one underneath a horse to escape the Czar) so that they could pursue the American dream — so they could get their kids’ educated and their grandkids’ educated and so that they could live in a world free of Czars — free to choose to make decisions and to either succeed or fail on their own accord– without government interference. I say it’s time for the middle to re-emerge. People need to learn their history and really watch what freedoms are being taken from us with every act that Congress decides it should do and take care of on someone’s behalf …. each bit of freedom taken away is a bit less you can do for yourself or that your children can do for themselves. America has always been about the freedom to choose to be successful or to choose to fail — there were never any guarantees of success — only a guaranty to pursue happiness — not to ultimately attain it.
Concerned Parent
October 1st, 2011
11:27 pm
Every year since President Obama has been president, he has made a start of school speech. Georgial has never put their prejudices and policial disrespect aside. Our president speeches are inspirational and welcoming, but I guess a black man cannot give speeches to our children. It is just on heard of. Georgia is behind and will stay behind.
PJ
October 2nd, 2011
1:40 am
I have read many of the comments here whereas a number of you object to our President talk to our young future leaders. Since Mr. Obama became president, he has not been shown or given any respect at all. The people who are ranting and raving about our Leader encouraging our children to take hold to do their very best in school, to become productive citizens to carry our nation forward, it seems to me that you are very close minded. I would rather someone give my child positive food for thought than to listen to much of this negative rap music, or watch many of these crappy tv sitcoms .The problems in our school systems is due to parents speaking so negatively around their children about various situations (such as dislike-hate for our President), it has a tendency to rub off on our children. Who do you think catches the bulk of the child’s acting out behavior in school. Yes, it’s the teachers, the ones that are trying hard to educate our children. Closed Minded Parents equals Acting Out Closed Minded Children. Very hard to get through to these people.
Sallie
October 2nd, 2011
9:07 am
What a crappy column. Some supposed conversation with a random person you can use to slander people who disagree with you. Maureen, this fits into the category of cheap shot. This is lazy “journalism”, incivil and intellectually dishonest.
Really?
October 2nd, 2011
10:03 am
@Ryneberg…. a representative democracy is a kind of republic. What distinguishes a republic is that it has an elected government. Representative democracies are, therefor, a kind of republic. that’s what we have. It’s technically a republic but for the past two centuries it has been moving to a form of democracy within the republic framework. You are welcome for the civics lesson
Anonmom
October 2nd, 2011
10:20 am
America was designed to be a Republic — not a democracy. The founders of our nations were afraid of pure democracy. In a democracy–the majority tramples the rights of the minority (for an example of just how bad that can be — take a look at Hitler’s Germany). The minority always loses in a pure democracy — be the minority based on race or religion or otherwise. Our founders carefully crafted the Constition to protect the rights of the minority against the will of the majority (e.g. in the current tax debate — if you are not paying taxes you are certainly in favor of those who do pay to pay more — if you get a “refund” because you get the earned tax credit but are not a “Net payer” then you think that it is okay for others to pay more even if you do not pay… if the majority who do not pay think that those who do pay, who are in the minority, then the majority who do not pay, believe it to be okay to take funds from those who do pay, so that the majority is out voting the minority in a way that isn’t necessarily fair). The Founders very clearly set forth mechanisms so that the rights of the minority would not be trampled by the will of the majority in a “majority rule” sort of way because they envisioned that as the “unraveling” of our nation… Once the majority figured out how to “steal” from others to “do what they want to do” then you lose the freedom and ability to do for yourself and the nation begins is “Rome like” slide… ultimately all nations fail… It’s a very slippery slope. It is very important to understand the difference between being a Republic and what pure democracy is and to understand the long-term consequences of where we could be headed. Civics and history are much more important than we give them credit. Our kids aren’t learning much of any of this in our public schools and the rheteroic coming from DC is pure baiting to stay in power. No one gives much thought to the future of our country and what we are really supposed to be.
Teacher2
October 2nd, 2011
12:12 pm
Republicans are fighting for the rights of MILLIONAIRES. Republicans are openly fighting for millionaires to keep their corporate tax breaks (entitlements!) and opposing tax increases for the rich. Yet Republicans PROUDLY propose and support cutting unemployment benefits, Social Security, Medicare and oppose healthcare for all. I would offer that more Republicans receive and depend on unemployment benefits, Social Security, Medicare and healthcare for their survival but still vote Republican. I have seen Republican and tea partiers shout “No Obama Care” who later admit in an interview they do not have health insurance because they cannot afford it on their Social Security income. I have also seen Republican and tea partiers protesting against Obama’s “socialism” and “entitlements” while they are on Medicare. AMAZING but true! Now it is “class warfare”, if you support tax increases for the rich. The poor and middleclass Republicans vote against their own best interest.
sloboffthestreet
October 2nd, 2011
2:07 pm
Please make it stop,,,,,
OK, Democrats are smarter than any other people on the planet. You win.
Now let’s take a look at some of the problems we face today. The Debt Clock says each U.S. taxpayer owes $1,032,724 to cover the cost of Social Security, Medicare and Prescription Drugs. Add to that the 14 trillion National Debt and the State Debt each taxpayer is responsible for and the last thing we need is a speech.
Jimmy Carter gave us FEMA in the 1970’s. A nice gesture but not the role of the federal government. He also blessed us with The U.S. Department of Energy. The cost has been outrageous and what have we received in return? Nothing. If the Democrats think adding over 1.3 TRILLION DOLLARS a year to the National Debt is a good idea, please explain how this will benefit anyone, past, present or future. Also explain how our social programs can continue in the present form. You are the people who claim you have all the brains and everyone else is one gene short so please tell the rest of us what will happen and how it will be paid for. Yes, George Bush had 2 unfunded wars. I’m sure I don’t have to tell all you brilliant higher level thinkers that President Obama has also continued these 2 unfunded wars to date along with adding Libya to the mix. Cost shifting to the states has been ongoing during his term and will only become a larger burden to all of us. Congress is the group that passed Unemployment Insurance extensions. That cost fell directly on the states. HHMMM?? I’ll check back tomorrow and read all the wonderfully insightful, intelligent responses from the Oh So Very Smart Democrats who claim they possess this above average mental gift.
Just a quick note about Millionaires. They come in all flavors and the interesting thing about them is they don’t need any more money and if they can’t make a profit they take their money and go elsewhere. Now you people who have collected a check from the taxpayers all your life, not having to perform to any acceptable standard or produce a product for profit, would not know anything about this. You just continue to complain and blame everyone but yourselves slinging your barbs and insults along the way. Pay very close attention to towns and cities that are filing bankruptcy. Yours may be next. Go talk to a retired Chrysler employee. Ask them how Entitled they feel right about now.
ricardus
October 2nd, 2011
3:27 pm
The kids are better off watching “Jersey Shore” than watching and listening to a fraudulent imposter in the White House. America better wake up. It is getting late!
I love teaching. I hate what it is becoming...
October 2nd, 2011
4:22 pm
@ricardua,
It is comments like yours that make me almost not care if this country implodes. I figure we will deserve it for being that idiotic. If you can honestly read the speech by Obama – his call to remain in school, strive to do one’s best, take responsibility for one’s actions and treat others with compassion – compare it to “Jersey Shore” which glorifies the worst in humanity – and claim children are better off being influenced by “Jersey Shore”, then you deserve the country you will inherit.
closetracist
October 2nd, 2011
8:00 pm
You all can pretend it’s about the economy, health insurance, debt ceiling etc… The truth is you all are still so angry that a black man is president that you would rather see America fail so you can prove that black people are inferior. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face. If you all think the republicans care about average folks and the middle class, then you are more ignorant than this blog demonstrates.
What Future?
October 2nd, 2011
10:23 pm
Unfortunately, this country is being pulled apart by the fact that we can no longer disagree civilly.
I remember sitting in classes listening to other President’s speeches. And I didn’t have to get permission to opt in or out to do so.
I think what people fail to realize is that if there is a Republican President in 2012 – he/she will reap what has been sown by people who have allowed their own anger/hatred to seep into the process = DISREPECT.
So when the next President gets called a “liar” whether in Congress or some other official venue, remember who did that first. Or when the President calls Congress into session and members of Congress decide they will opt out and tweet instead – remember who did that as well. The problem with all of it is, it is out of order, it is disrepectful, and it tarnishes the image of our nation.
For everyone calling the President out on where his children go to school, please also call out your local Congressman and ask the same thing. Heck, why not ask the people at your State level that question…many of them do not have children (or grandchildren) in public school either!
We are heading down a very scary and dangerous road and if we can’t control our emotions and work out our differences, we will regret it -
Mark
October 2nd, 2011
10:45 pm
Reality….Dont go away mad, just get on your broom and leave.
Dr NO / Mr Sunshine
October 3rd, 2011
6:39 am
carla roqs
September 30th, 2011
2:43 pm
“may i come?”
Absolutely…I extend a personal invitation.
Dr NO / Mr Sunshine
October 3rd, 2011
6:43 am
“Reality
September 30th, 2011
5:15 pm
MiltonMan – Oh, never mind. You won’t understand anyway. Continue with your idiotic rants.”
HEY!! I thought you were leaving. “OH HAPPY DAY!!!!”
catlady
October 3rd, 2011
6:45 am
Ms. Downey, how about linking to the ignorant comments by Fran Tarkington on Kyle Wingfield’s blog?
bootney farnsworth
October 3rd, 2011
7:17 am
talk about major leaps of “logic”
giving benefit of doubt,,,
somebody at random happens to let her kids watch Jersey Shore yet wouldn’t have allowed her kids to see Obama’s speech.
and so, in the spirit of whatever, this is an excuse to shill for
Obama once again.
I didn’t watch either. both are worthless bits of fiction and better
fiction can be found on the FX channel. or my favorite place, the local library.
seems to me if those kids have been watching the Jersey Shore, they’ve
been punished enough. making them watch Obama’s speech would be overkill
bootney farnsworth
October 3rd, 2011
7:21 am
@ John Trotter,
in many ways your comments on how we’ve allowed our republic to be bastardized into a semi-democracy is the biggest condemnation on education in the US I’ve seen here yet.
democracy in action: Leo Franks.
bootney farnsworth
October 3rd, 2011
7:23 am
only in America can a liberal elitist columnist make such a stupid and broad generalization based on a single conversation
bootney farnsworth
October 3rd, 2011
7:33 am
@ catlady,
what in Fran’s comments were ignorant?
uninformed in places, but ignorant?
as a long term USG employee I’d say he sums up the
situtation pretty well for an outsider.
in the last decade, the only people who have gotten
any fiscal advances are the politically connected.
everybody else gets told to be grateful for having a
less than satisfactory job.
productivity has gone to hell.
my main objection to merit pay was, and remains, the state
won’t give us a real seat at the table.
Rightwing Troll
October 3rd, 2011
7:33 am
Can any of you haters articulate what, exactly, will change for the better once Obama is elected out of office?
Just electing one of “those” people out of office doesn’t necessarily make any of our country’s problems go away, you do understand that, right?
So far the republican field is uninspiring, it’s rightwing nutbags and Bush redux, do you pine for 8 more years of W?