So on Tuesday, President Obama is going to address the nation’s school children to tell them to work hard and take responsibility for their learning. Apparently, to some, that translates to an attempt at “mind control.” Others have hysterically called the speech as “socialist” and “Nazi-like propaganda.” The resulting furor has led school districts through the area to get calls from parents.
Commissioner of Education Mark K. McQuillan sent out a memo to school superintendents today which, in essence, says get a grip.
“This is truly unfortunate, inaccurate and clearly goes beyond the definition of responsible civil discourse,” he said
McQuillan reviewed the materials relating to the president’s speech and says most of his themes are consistent with the messages delivered to the nation’s young people from previous presidents _ such as Ronald Reagan and George HW Bush _ focusing on the importance of staying in school and working hard and graduating and going to college. (How communist can you get?!?) Along with the speech, the US Department of Education has issued suggestions for activities and guided discussions, such as “What is the President trying to tell me?” and “What resonated with you from President Obama’s speech?”
While showing or not showing the speech is a local matter, McQuillan urged local school boards and districts to give every consideration to providing students access to the address in a away that provides due respect to the Office of the President.
Locally, most districts plan to leave it up to individual school principals to decided. A directive in Milford has gone out to show the broad cast only if it fits in with what the class happens to be learning at the moment.
In Bridgeport, seventh and eighth graders, who on the Connecticut Mastery Test, have to write a persuasive essay, will watch the speech then tackle the question: “What do you do when you “persuade” someone?”
