Obama's Speech To Students: A Great Opportunity To Turn On The Brain
As I read Andrea's post yesterday, I was struck by the timing. Just hours before, President Obama delivered a speech to students in which he exhorted them to ask questions, get help, work hard, and most of all, find success against odds. I listened to the speech and thought it was pretty good. If I had been a school kid, I think I would have been impressed. It's not every day that the President gives a speech just for kids.
So a few weeks ago when I heard about the coming speech, I didn't think much of it. The next day, however, I was surprised to see how some people across the country were angry about the speech - they felt that it was wrong for the President to speak to kids about staying in school. They were concerned that kids would be unduly influenced by the President's address. That to me seemed outrageous. I can understand not liking a President. Heck, I just lived through 8 years of that. But to say you don't want your kid to listen to a speech because you're concerned that they'll be unduly influenced by it? That's not saying much for your kid. In fact, it's not saying much for any of us. Are we really so concerned that a President's speech to school kids about staying in school could have a negative impact on our kids that we'll TAKE THEM OUT OF SCHOOL? Really?
If we wanted kids to grow up as inquisitive people - ones willing to question and challenge that around them, I'd think we would want our kids to hear the speeches of this President, past Presidents, people who want to be President, and more. I'd think we would want our kids to listen and then ask the tough questions that we as voters claim to do when making decisions about our country. I would think that we'd be eager for opportunities like this, and the one I had in 1991 when, as a high schooler, I heard President Bush give a similar speech. These are opportunities for us to teach our kids critical thinking skills.
I propose that, next time a President plans a speech to American schoolkids, we consider it a great opportunity to exercise our critical minds - regardless of who that President is, or what he or she plans to say.
You're forgetting one thing. The people who are making such a stink over this don't want kids to think for themselves. They want them to swallow the same old tired crap they've been spewing for years.
September 9, 2009 6:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Your proposal:
"I propose that, next time a President plans a speech to American schoolkids, we consider it a great opportunity to exercise our critical minds - regardless of who that President is, or what he or she plans to say."
Depends entirely on who the next President who plans a speech to American schoolkids is. If it is a republican, no one will object. If it is a Democrat, particularly one who is not white; there will be another idiot shit-fest.
September 9, 2009 7:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
I was listening to some southern parents ranting about this a few days ago, and when I tried to get to what was really upsetting them, their comments led to two possible conclusions.
1. "I don't want my kid listening to a black president." (I had to wonder, did these parents even let their children know we have a (partly) black president?
2. "He's really getting through to minority kids - especially black ones - and we can't have that."
These aren't, of course, inconsistent.
Can someone please explain to me why my conclusions are wrong? Please?
September 9, 2009 8:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
You are all so right!!! It's not the message but the messenger, & isn't that a shame!!! As I watched the speech last night & saw Joe Wilson
heckle the President, I was appalled!! I have to believe in our basic national decency & moral obligation to help each other!! So, good for all of you!!!
September 10, 2009 10:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you, Kyrsten, so much for this post.
The President's speech this week spoke to a few points that I explore in The Death of Why.
First, is my question about the role of public schools at all. These are democratic institutions with historic civic purposes. The notion that the President doesn't belong in public schools flies in the face of everything we know about the founding of these institutions, intended to prepare people for effective citizenship. Can't remember where I read that someone said they want to "keep the government out of my public schools." Uhm.
The second point this brought up for me as well was the danger of ideological segregation. I interviewed experts on the development of children for the book who told me that children begin to inquire when they encounter the unfamiliar. What kind of society will we become if we segregate ourselves so carefully from difference that we escape the unfamiliar? How else will we learn to question?
September 11, 2009 12:18 PM | Reply | Permalink