Comments

• By jay on 09/09 08:59 PM

  You people who have no problem with Obama's plans and ideas are the same ones who cant even give us any reason why you voted him in office, other than he is black. every black person I know say the reason they voted for him is because he is black, that is it, he is black, Shame on You. you show your own racism right there, how can you keep crying racism when you are just as guilty yourself. you dont know what this man has planned for this once "great nation" and our children. his first mistake is he is not a believer of the real man who has gotten us as far as we are today, our creator, GOD !! you've slowly allowed him to be taken out of everything that made this place worth while, so he has slowly allowed us to get our self into the shape we are in now. he has kept this country alive this whole time whether you believe in him or not and if you don't, then you are just ignorant and you will know the truth one day and you can rest assured. the things that are happening now are in the bible, so this man who wants all the glory for himself because he is the first somewhat black president, no that wont happen, my kids will not be forced to listen to him brainwash them and make them think it is okay to not believe in the man who deserves glory and recognition,i will give him the respect as my president to say his part, but my kids are my kids, so I will view what he has to say myself first and if I approve I will allow them to listen, if not, well then they will learn from me and what I think is right and further more ,I will not sign my soul over to this person who is trying to gain all power over us. the bailout plan and stimulous packages are just another way for him to gain all control over us and we will soon be in a very bad economy and yes he might make himself look good while he is in office, but the next president who comes in will really have problems on his hands, trying to get out of the debt that we will be in by then. where do you people think this money is going to come from when it is time to pay it back, do you really think the govt is going to just give us money, as greedy as we should all know they are, you have another thing coming, the only other thing I can say is be ready for the mark of the beast, because that is what you are getting very soon. go ahead and worship your black president and I will continue to worship my God and prey for our president and our nation because that is the only way we are getting out of what we have done to ourselves with our wants and our greed.

• By DeDe on 09/08 11:33 PM

  So parents in Wake Co are afraid of a president inspiring their child to stay in school but not afraid of their child learning to disrespect the president of America. That is so strange. But then ignorance and fear is always strange. So even if there is no prayer in school I will pray for you. And I do mean that with love. Because I pray that your children will be better informed.

• By Jack Adnabs on 09/08 12:35 PM

  What is interesting to me is how many have correctly stated that previous presidents have given speeches to schoolkids, including Bush 41. But conveniently omitted from those comments is the fact that the Democrats roundly criticized Bush in 1991 and actually held Congressional hearings about his abuse of power. Here's a link to the facts, which always seem to be forgotten: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/When-Bush-spoke-to-students-Democrats-investigated-held-hearings-57694347.html

• By Michael Lowrimore on 09/08 11:26 AM

  Most of the REAL polls show a very positive and uplifting speech from Obama should be watched by all school kids. This poll (among many others) have been hijacked & skewed by whacked out Right Wingers.

• By Bob on 09/08 10:33 AM

  I see a lot of people saying that every president has done the same thing. NONE has done it in form that Obama has. There are two very major differences in what Obama is doing. 1. Obama never went through the superintendents. The boards of education would then decide if the viewing was acceptable in their communities standards. Obviously there are a lot of mixed feelings on this. School Boards and superintendents are subject to voter approval. Instead Obama went through the principals. These people are not subject to being re-elected and therefore not held accountable to voters. 2. Obama had a plan drafted in which he wanted the children to think about what they could do for him. No other president has ever been so self centered as this man is. If you remember, most of our presidents encouraged the sentiment that God, Country and family mattered. Now there is a cult out there that think Obama comes before Country and he certainly has no place for God here unless he is asking the church to help pass his agenda. Obama has asked people to pledge allegiance to HIM. NO OTHER LEADER HAS EVER DONE THIS! Especially with our youth.

• By Bob on 09/08 10:32 AM

  I see a lot of people saying that every president has done the same thing. NONE has done it in form that Obama has. There are two very major differences in what Obama is doing. 1. Obama never went through the superintendents. The boards of education would then decide if the viewing was acceptable in their communities standards. Obviously there are a lot of mixed feelings on this. School Boards and superintendents are subject to voter approval. Instead Obama went through the principals. These people are not subject to being re-elected and therefore not held accountable to voters. 2. Obama had a plan drafted in which he wanted the children to think about what they could do for him. No other president has ever been so self centered as this man is. If you remember, most of our presidents encouraged the sentiment that God, Country and family mattered. Now there is a cult out there that think Obama comes before Country and he certainly has no place for God here unless he is asking the church to help pass his agenda. Obama has asked people to pledge allegiance to HIM. NO OTHER LEADER HAS EVER DONE THIS! I am not so happy with a man who wants to be King of America.

• By AJ Boyd on 09/07 06:52 PM

  WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE TODAY? WHY DO YOU OBJECT TO SOMEONE(WHO HAPPENS TO BE THE PRESIDENT)ENCOURAGING YOUR CHILD TO DO WELL IN SCHOOL? MAYBE MOST OF YOU AS PARENTS ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILDERN, TRUST ME THERE ARE THOSE WHO MAY NEVER HEAR AN ENCOURAGING WORD. I THINK IT IS DEPLOYABLE THAT SOME WILL KEEP THIER CHILD HOME JUST TO NOT HEAR THE SPEECH. RIGHT MISS A WHOLE DAY OF TEACHING FOR A 20 MINUTE SPEECH. IF THIS SPEECH CAUSES JUST ONE TO BE MOTIVATED AND MAKE A PRODUCTIVE CITIZEN WHO MAY IMPACT ON OUR SOCIETY IN A POSITIVE WAY ..THE SPEECH IS WORTH IT.

• By James on 09/07 01:18 PM

  Not only do I not want him speaking to the children, I think he should be impeached. He has not lived up to his oath of office and has acted to destroy the Constitution with his Marxist agenda. I am not frm the "Right" I believe in our Constitutional Republic and supported Dr. Ron Paul who was snubbed by other Republicans.

• By Mike Jernigan on 09/07 10:34 AM

  If he was going to speak,let him explain to the kids why they can"t have the same opportunities people in the past have had.Why they are having to sacrifice for the kids that have no right whatsoever to be taking up a seat in the classroom,No one seems to want to talk about this issue since the election.Until government starts upholding the law, a pep talk from the President won"t help

• By Nunyabiz on 09/06 05:37 PM

  When I was going to school back in the 60's JFK did the exact same thing during the school day. nothing nefarious going on here just a pep rally speech, but the reich wing extremist have got to demonize everything Obama does no matter what it is.

• By Mac on 09/06 02:09 PM

  The radio broadcasts were done during prime time when families could listen together. I'm neither Democratic nor Republican and frankly I'm sick and tired of both parties. I'm just a family man trying raise my kids as best I can. Talk to my kids and me, not just my kids. But in response to those who hail this as just an encouraging talk from the President, I will quote a line from an old movie, "Don't "p" down my back and tell me it's raining."

• By Barbara on 09/06 01:59 PM

  The left keeps saying that the majority of Americans voted for Obama, but what they don't admit is that Obama only got elected because he lied to the American people!!! The people have realized that fact now and we do not trust him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• By Nunyabiz on 09/06 11:41 AM

  Since every single president since the radio was invented has done exactly this same speech, why is it do you suppose the reich wing extremist lunatics in this state are having a problem with Obama, you know the Suma Cum Laude Harvard graduate doing the same thing? These people are insane and should be treated as such.

• By Gerri on 09/06 08:47 AM

  This is the President of the United States. Don't forget that. I know some folks are in denial that Barack Obama is our President, but he was elected by 53% of the people. He received 365 electoral votes. He IS the President. He should be able to address school children as did President Bush 41 and President Reagan. Those of you who disagree with his policies are just afraid that he may actually inspire your kids and you don't like that. You are the ones making this political.

• By Glenn Koons on 09/05 10:12 PM

  As a teacher of some 48 yrs, been on some book and curriculum committees where I was the lone conserv, please don't think this was planned just to give encouragement to pupils before school started. For decades the Left has propagandized pupils with texts especially in English, History, Reading and any Liberal Arts class. Obama knows that and this is one attempt to get kids to be roiled up over politics even in primary classes when their emotions are open for conning. And this naif in the WH is one of the biggest cons I've seen in my 70 years.

• By jerry silverman on 09/05 09:32 PM

  People who are having a problem with the President of the United States speaking to school children about the importance of an education are truly uneducated themselves. not just that, but they are obviously unpatriotic and un-American as well. These weirdos who are looking for socialists under their beds need to realize that we already live in a socialist society. Our taxes pay for libraries, parks, streets, and fire departments, even if we never read, never sit on the grass, never drive a car, or never have a housefire. Shame on these folks who are going to pass on their unjustified and bizarre fear and hatred to the next generation. A vast portion of the US remains immature and unsophisticated, a reality that frightens me way more than "socialism".

• By jerry silverman on 09/05 09:27 PM

  People who are having a problem with the President of the United States speaking to school children about the importance of an education are truly uneducated themselves. not just that, but they are obviously unpatriotic and un-American as well. These weirdos who are looking for socialists under their beds need to realize that we already live in a socialist society. Our taxes pay for libraries, parks, streets, and fire departments, even if we never read, never sit on the grass, never drive a car, or never have a housefire. Shame on these folks who are going to pass on their unjustified and bizarre fear and hatred to the next generation. A vast portion of the US remains immature and unsophisticated, a reality that frightens me way more than "socialism".

• By Maria on 09/05 07:54 PM

  Yep, when you have a weak argument, play the Race Card.

• By Bob on 09/05 03:51 PM

  poor June Reilly can't get past Bush. Bush this Bush that. Yet Obama has all these people that are czars we can't even know about. When we find out that they are convicted criminals, socialists and people who hate america. She believes that government will take less money for health care than private insurance companies. here's a clue June, Government ALREADY takes more. NYS Alone collects 9% + tax on every thing that is medical related from hospital admissions to doctors visits. The Insurance company gets 3%. Health care costs would go down greatly if we got government OUT of it's way instead of being like Sen Kirsten Gillibrand democrat of NY who wrote the Medical Device Safety Act, S. 540. maybe you should look it up. It allows people to sue and create higher costs to insurance companies. Imagine if Bush had taken over the auto industry? The insurance and banking industry, had 33 czars, increased the war in Afghanistan. brought us to the highest unemployment rate in 26 years or he had people at an all time high for needing food stamps .. you know like democrats and Obama has done. I wonder what June would say about that if she could stop drinking the kool -aid long enough and look at the reality of what is happening RIGHT NOW, instead of blaming Bush for everything.

• By Bob on 09/05 03:38 PM

  Anyone consider the fact that Obama skipped protocol and sent this directly to principals instead of the school board? The school board is responsible to voters once again Obama is trying to bypass the voters. Desensitizing our children to him is not a good thing, he needs to speak to adults about more important issues. Like why is his cabinet full of self proclaimed socialists and people who wanted to overthrow our form of government.

• By Jack Adnabs on 09/05 03:03 PM

  Considering that, by his own admission, Obama "spent his final two years in high school skipping classes, playing basketball, doing cocaine and getting drunk,” I'm not really sure he's quite the right spokesperson to be preaching to our kids.

• By amazinggrace on 09/05 01:26 PM

  Since we know very little about this man's background and judging by the company he keeps. I can see why a parent would have second thoughts about his speaking dicrectly to their children. People who voted for him did not ask enough questions so they voted for all the wrong reasons. An closet communist is not someone who should be speaking to our children.

• By Freedumb2003 on 09/05 01:11 PM

  You supporters of the TOTUS-reading fuhrer clearly haven't seen the Nazi-style indoctrination of children that preceded the election and the subsequent stepped-up brainwashing. How can you support your Fuhrer? Ve vill tell you! You guys have drunk the kool aid and are now locking the doors to keep all the children in the building.

• By Dynachrome on 09/05 01:01 PM

  Of course, in 1991, Cong. Gephardt said that then Pres. Bush was getting a "paid political advertisement" Hypocrisy, thy name is dem-o-rat party! http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2009/09/03/flashback-1991-gephardt-called-bushs-speech-students-paid-political-a

• By Mac on 09/05 11:06 AM

  Sure this is s great idea. What parent worth is salt wouldn't want a stranger to have 15 minutes to talk to their child without the parent present? The problems with this idea are to numerous to begin listing. If Obama really wants to be upfront and encouraging, then he should have scheduled this address for prime time. Then students and parents could watch/listen together. Thereby sparking converstion between parent and student. But then how many would actually tune in during prime time. You see the problem with education begins with parents, not students. And the fact that most parents would not encourage their kids to watch the address with them, in the privacy of the home, proves this. Sure the kids want to watch it at school, they want to do anything outside the routine of classwork. Prisoners like to get out of their routine also. The whole thing has an air of alterior motives and Obama's supporters should have been smart enough to see that is not a good idea. Talk to my kid and me about education or whatever, not just my kid. Obama supporter or not, this is just bonehead politics.

• By June Reilly on 09/05 12:56 AM

  First,Why is it not appropriate to go back to a past president Haley? If we don't look at our past mistakes we are doomed to repeat them. W started a war against a country through lies, he cheated the citizens of the US and several thousand of our soldiers have died. Don't even get me started on his crimes. Have you read the bill? I highly doubt because if you had you would know that it says it would council terminally ill patients on WHAT THEY WANT TO DO!!! Not have a panel to decide if they should get treatment or not. That's what insurance companies do, they either deny you treatments or they cancel your policy, or won't pick you up because you have a pe-existing condition. Are you the least bit aware that it is the for profit insurance companies that are spreading these rumors to deny you and me the right to health care? Why? Because it will bite into their profits. Seriously, do you really believe the vitriol you are hearing. Shaking my head, the people in this country ought to be ashamed of themselves.

• By Haylee on 09/05 12:07 AM

  June have you read the current health care reform bill? If not, you might want to reveiw it before you post comments like that....

• By Haylee on 09/05 12:00 AM

  June, Although I do not disagree with you...I dont think its appropriate to go back to another president and talk about his past relations...however if after tuesday all the president said is that our children should do good in school and life and respect others and does not mention any political issues in his speech...than I apologize and inform my children accordingly. I just dont want my kids writing an essay saying that they will support the president in his beliefs...they are too young to understand...

• By June Reilly on 09/04 11:57 PM

  Oh man, Haley believes in the death panels. Hayley, do you know that current insurance companies deny people that have coverage life saving treatments every day??? Are you even the least bit aware that insurance companies can drop you if you get a life threatening illness that requires expensive treatments? That is a death panel. Do you have any clue of the reality of what insurance and drug companies do on a regular basis and how many people have died because someone signed or stamped a sheet of paper stating, "NO, we do not approve of this procedure or this treatment?" The insurance companies have sold you a line of pure PS and you have bought it hook line and sinker. I hope you never get a catastrophic illness because without the public option, well, I feel sorry for you.

• By June Reilly on 09/04 11:51 PM

  Haylee, Bush had some unexplained ties with people of questionable background. I will agree with you on one point, it is not a question of Democrat or Republican. It is a question of being smart or being stupid. Do you people think our President has some sort of hypnotic power through the airwaves and he is going to brainwash your children through the airwaves in an instant? Even if he was a man I didn't respect and didn't want in office I would not deny my child the chance to see and learn about him in a school setting. Then, when my child came home I would talk to him and tell him where I don't agree with this particular president. That is what smart citizens do. Paranoid crazy people pull their kids out of school and say stupid things like, "He's not going to brainwash my kid." YIKES!!! Get real people.

• By Haylee on 09/04 11:48 PM

  fyi i am African American and this has nothing to do with races...

• By Joseph Mogel on 09/04 11:40 PM

  I am a 91 year old white male. Barack Obama is our president. It is fitting that he address the youth , our future leaders of this great country, just how important they obtain a quality education. It is their obligation to their country to stay in school and learn. Those people who disent are those who just can't stand the idea that we have a black man as our president. It galls them.They will do anything to bring him disfavor in the eyes of the public.

• By Haylee on 09/04 11:38 PM

  I plan to keep my children home on Tuesday...Its not a question of Democrat or Republican....its just that he has some unexplained ties with people of questionable background. I wish someone could explain to me why he has friends in the administration that are admitted socialist/Communist in their beliefs. I dont want my children to do an essay and say what they are going to to do for the president. Most of these kids are too young and they dont understand any of this....our main issue is that he is totally against our moral beliefs. We have a president that is FOR killing our children in abortion and finds no value in life in the womb of a mother. If its a womens choice to elect to have an abortion why then does the female baby not have a choice? I feel that all life has value...whether it is an animal or a human, that even at 8 weeks in the womb the baby already has a beating heart and ten fingers and ten toes...is this not a human being? And does this child not have a right to life? Let me ask....does your grandparents at age 80 or older have a right to live? No different than a baby in the womb... Like i said there are just some things that i dont want my children to follow....

• By Arleene Beckhusen on 09/04 11:18 PM

  We elected this man as our Leader. We are suppose to respect Him and let Him lead. We are suppose to encourge any new thoughts and Ideas. Instead we have hateful temper tantrums. Ugly e-mails circulating, Civil disobediance at gatherings. Saying the same words over and over again does not make the statement true. Useing an e-mail statement as fact, does not make it true. I wish President Obama and His Family the best each and every day. Their example of Family Life is encourageing. I am proud of each and every member of this First Family.

• By June Reilly on 09/04 10:04 PM

  This is really a sad state of affairs. I can bet these same people who do not want President Obama to speak to school children would have had no problem with Bush indoctrinating all of the children. What is wrong with this country. He's going to tell children to stay in school, not do drugs and be good citizens. The same message every president has given children for several administrations. You have all been indoctrinated with a little too much FNN. Come to your senses people.

• By Dan LeMarble on 09/04 08:05 PM

  Wow! I can't believe this is even an issue. Of course the President of the United States should be able to talk to the schools. The people who are making a big issue of this are probably the same ones who are yelling at the health care meetings. These people really need to ask themselves about their motives, if they are not racially biased.

• By Werner Strasser on 09/04 06:55 PM

  I do not agree even so the Whitehouse assures us, Obama’s speech would focus on “the importance of ….how we want to improve our education system and why it’s so important for the country”. There is a serious credibility gap as to what the administration’s true intentions are because the DoE’s lesson plans smack of self-promotion with the obvious intend to indoctrinate. This looks more and more like a Trojan horse with Third Reich tactics hidden in its belly. ------------- I keep my grandchildren (16 and 18 years old) at home. No need to let them hear a puppet speak. Obama lacks character and rudimentary knowledge of basic math and logic thinking. He is incapable of composing a sensible speech but prides himself of having the “gift” to deliver plagiarized speeches. ————– Students should not be indoctrinated by a snake-oil-salesman and community organizer whose goal it is to promote his image, popularity, stare-doom and policies. The text of his speech is kept secret but the accompanying lesson plans from the DoE say it all even after revisions were made because “the plan was not artfully worded”. ————– Our schools, controlled by unions, are stacked with his followers and philosophical garbage already. Senator Obama failed miserable to improve education for Chicago but sends his children to private schools. But now he recognizes that by using the US Dept. of Education as propaganda machine he will at least be effective in indoctrinating students to vote for him in the next election. ————– Trampling over people to get in front of the line is how Obama got where he is now. However, this doesn’t change the fact that he is a man who is in love with himself and the art of manipulation. Not precisely the character model our students should be made to aspire or listen to. ————– To prevent the preaching of Fascist-Marxist-Communist-Socialist religions in general and in particular to prevent the seed of the “Obama Youth (Hitler Jugend)” from sprouting roots, politics and government propaganda must be kept out of our class rooms and lesson plans.

• By Alicia on 09/04 06:16 PM

  I think it is wonderful that our President want to speak to our children about the importance of education. I don't recall any objections when past presidents went into schools to read and talk to our children. There shouldn't even be a debate over this. We should be thankful that we have a President who cares about education and our children. If President Obama hadn't made the decision to deliver this message and instead cut educational funding, I bet many of you would care about education then. What kind of message are we sending to our children if we tell them they can't view the President's message at school? He simply wants to stress the importance of staying in school. I feel so sorry for this country and for the future of our children.

• By Lisa on 09/04 05:06 PM

  The President's decision to give a nationwide address in public schools shows bad judgement. To me it is about the same as if the Pope abruptly decided to broadcast a motivational speech directly to American schools. People would be outraged over that as an imposition of Christian values. Well, the same goes for politics. Not everyone agrees with Obama's vision for America, and some parents and kids might feel that the schools are imposing political values they do not share. I think the schools should pick a less controversial figure so the message can be politically neutral and purely about education.

• By Iris on 09/04 04:49 PM

  I don't understand what the problem is with the President reinforcing that education is a critical component in competing in a "global economy". Our children will be competing for jobs in the "global" market. Children need a solid education more now than ever before and some parents don't want their children to watch our President reinforce what us parents are trying to instill in our children that education is vital to their future. Some parents are blowing this simple gesture out of proportion. President Obama has two young daughters who will get the best education and he wants the same thing for our children. President Obama wants to encourage our children to pursue and strive for educational excellence. Our children are the future generation and having our President emphasize the importance of education is positive reinforcement outside the home. Our high school drop out rate and failure rates are increasing each year. More and more students do not see the need for a solid education. Teenage pregnancy, suicide, murders, and drug abuse is increasing every year. Wake up parents!

• By Morris on 09/04 03:11 PM

  To Blake Reaves: What you smell is not racism. It is people objecting to an unprecedented direct communication from a politician to nearly every child in the country. People object this for two primary reasons. One, such actions evoke Orwellian images of dicators, past and present. Two, the President is a politian, and therefore people will disagree with his policies. There is nothing inherent to the office of President that suggests he should have a bully pulpit with young children. It's easy to see why it would rub some people the wrong way, and skin color has nothing to do with it. When you cry racism so easily, it only makes you look like a racist yourself.

• By Morris on 09/04 03:00 PM

  "What is wrong with you parents? You do not see the power of having an important man focus your children into education. I am afraid for my country." The sort of hero worship evident in your post is exactly why the "power" of an "important man" can be dangerous. The President is a politician, not a hero. And with all the problems this nation now faces, making speeches to little children should have no proper place on his agenda. And if this was another President, perhaps one that you didn't like, would you be talking about the "power" of an "important man?" Politicians are not heroes. They're necessary evils like rat poison and ammonia, and should be treated with the same caution as any other necesary evil, i.e. keep away from small children.

• By Carol Cisko on 09/04 01:57 PM

  I am an educator in the public system and I believe that as a nation we should instill in our children a respect for our leaders. The President wants to have all students motivated to reach their potential and we as parents and citizens have an issue with this??? No wonder we have problems. I fear that as a nation we are really heading for trouble. What is wrong with you parents? You do not see the power of having an important man focus your children into education. I am afraid for my country.

• By Philip Carnevale on 09/04 01:48 PM

  Have we really regressed as a nation to the point where we fear the President of our country speaking to our children? If the answer to this question is "yes" then we have far more to worry about than the current economic recession.

• By Gary Selby on 09/04 01:21 PM

  Part of modern culture, of which this President is an example, is to use young people, very young people, to bring pressure on parents. For instance, the former Gov. use of children as water and power wardens or the save the whale child in a washer and dryer ad recently. Children are not equipped in all cases to be discerning. Parents should be given choices to determine if they want their children exposed to this or any other form of salesmenship. It is not coincidence that the President is having problems selling universal health care to adults.

• By Blake Reaves on 09/04 12:59 PM

  Why not? Whether you voted for him or not, belong to his party or not, he is our President just like every other President before him. What are we supposed to do, not teach our children to listen, learn, analyze, and come to their own conclusion. I have avoided this feeling for a long time but it walks like, talks like, acts, feels like, smells like good old fashion racism. Give me a break.

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