The lesson plan was over the top, and should never have been part of Obama's important address

[Emit]

to school children.

From what I've read, the original version of the lesson plan included materials from the Department of Education, created by its teachers-in-residence, the Teaching Ambassador Fellows, asking students to "Write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president."

Apparently, that's since been changed (although I can't find the original version) to read: "Write letters to themselves about how they can achieve their short-term and long-term education goals." (see: http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/academic/bts.html )

From what I read, the Department of Education, by Federal statute, is not supposed to provide any kind of curriculum to the state.

If Bush & Co. had done the same, providing a lesson plan for a speech asking kids to write letters to themselves about what they can do to help Bush & Co., truthfully, I would not have been happy about it.

This was a blunder.

That being said, the fallout -- whether we should allow the President of the United States to address our children, the righteous indignation of these parents, and all the 'opt outs' being quickly offered up to appease them, as well as the manner in which our media is handling this -- frustrates, angers and saddens me.

Here's a report from one of my local teevee stations:

RENO, NV - Worried that President Barrack Obama is trying to indoctrinate millions of public school students with socialistic ideals during a special address next week, some parents have been bombarding school district offices demanding that their children to not participate.

"We've received zillions of calls," said Steve Mulvenon, Washoe County School District Spokesman.

~snip~

http://www.kolotv.com/home/headlines/57053457.html

Could it get any more ridiculous?

[Why Syzygy]

1. Bookmark.

President Obama is perhaps the most family oriented president ever in our history. So the irony of these families reeks.

How is the Department of Education getting away with breaking a federal statute?

[Emit]

11. I have not been able to find the statute that is being reported on

to confirm, in fact, whether the DOE can or cannot pass curriculum to the state. But, from the link, the curriculum was 'encouraged' and 'offered,' not mandated.

And I agree: "President Obama is perhaps the most family oriented president ever in our history." As a mother of three, I have great respect for the Obamas -- their family as a whole. You can tell a lot about people by the way their children behave, how often they smile, hug, etc. and in all the coverage of their family, I am in awe of the love, respect -- how well their children behave and carry themselves, and how happy they all appear.

It pains me to see the fall out of this. With or without this lesson plan included, we probably would be dealing with similar hyperbole from the right wingers based solely on the speech. Unfortunately, though, this lesson plan thingy played right into their hands, imho.

[madfloridian]

12. The dept of education is changing schools forever.

Under Duncan they are calling for funding of the NCLB, more testing, a testing database to tie student tests more tightly to teacher ratings...more school closures, more charter schools.

They are setting up confrontations with teachers unions and state school districts.

So why make a fuss about a speech?

Why do people get so mad at folks here who point this out, and want to defend the people who scream about the president talking to their students?

[LWolf]

14. Good point. nt

[Emit]

15. I understand your important point, madfloridian . Once again we have histrionic hyperbole

without substance. I'm in a hurry so I can't address the specifics of your concerns with regard to Duncan et al - but, once again, the media focuses on the superficial - the righteous indignation - and offers no discussion of any real substance.

It's much like the media frenzy about tea party goers chanting 'Socialism!' and 'NO National Healthcare!' in response to health care INSURANCE reform that scarcely contains any public option at all.

It's maddening!

[drm604]

2. It is pretty ridiculous

how people like you come on here echoing right-wing talking points.

[Emit]

6. ...

:spray:

[ProgressiveProfessor]

9. Its just dumb to give ammunition to your opponents, which is exactly what happened

Its almost as bad as the Carter administration

[SemiCharmedQuark]

32. LOL, no it didn't. The RWers looked like a bunch of morons.

Even Neal Boortz recognizes how badly the Republicans screwed themselves.

[Wilms]

3. Blunder is right.

Sometimes I think a bunch of former Clinton staffers are running the White House.

Oh. Wait...

[SammyWinstonJack]

4. .

:spray:

[ProgressiveProfessor]

10. More like the Carter administration

[redqueen]

20. lulz

[grasswire]

5. there must be some kind of hoodoo in writing to a black man

That must be it. Once a child does that, he/she is marked with a tendency to consider black people...people!

[madfloridian]

8. Dept of education is changing the whole face of education and it's ok

it appears, at least here at DU.

But a speech from the president?

How can people approve of one major interference, shutting down schools to open charter schools, more and more testing....and yet disapprove of one speech.

Your statement points out the ridiculous nature of any argument.

[madfloridian]

7. Then why is it considered ok for the dept of education to dictate

more testing, more shutting down of schools, more charter schools?

Why draw a line over a speech if they can pay schools to change their whole format?

I see no difference in accepting one and griping about the other.

[LWolf]

13. This is true. The fallout, though,

will not be so easy to fix as modifying the offending "lesson."

The fallout will taint Obama for the rest of his time in the WH.

It's a boon for the right.

[Uzybone]

28. LOL

[Emit]

29. Well, I wouldn't go as far to say that this will taint Obama for the rest of his time in the WH.

For the moment, the right hypes it now as part of their 'outrage' and the media gives them credence by providing a platform.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

33. ROFL.

I don't see any media sources giving credibility to the RWers. Even my RW uncle was embarrassed.

[Wilms]

16. Ah. It seems that Bush I did the same thing.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x366957

[Emit]

23. Yes, I had read that:. He said ,"Write me a letter about ways you can help us achieve our goals."

I still think the lesson plan put out by the DOE, though, asking students to write letters about how they can 'help the president,' was poorly worded (before they corrected it), and was an error in judgment. In context, 'help the president' in this case was referring to all the things Obama would be encouraging students to do - stay in school, study hard, take responsibility, etc. It just gave the crazies more fodder for their hyperbole.

[mwb970]

24. Any ambiguity whatsoever is seized on and wildly misinterpreted by the wackaloons.

Strange, since they are so unresponsive to irony, yet leap to respond to the tiniest ambiguity.

:shrug:

[Emit]

26. And the media seeks it out, it seems, just to keep the back and forth going

And it gives credence to their 'outrage.'

It's like the media follows these crazies around, giving them a national platform for every crazy 'outrage' they have. The lady who gets in Specter's face is on the news that night. The man who shows up with a firearm on his thigh at an Obama event is on Chris Matthews' show THAT SAME NIGHT. Where was the media when I, an average housewife with young kids, with legitimate concerns about war, my country, etc. - was showing up to every protest I could go to? Did anyone care what I had to say?

[Fearless]

17. I'm not certain how this is "ridiculous"... Please elaborate?

[Emit]

19. In reference to the righteous indignation of these parents, and all the 'opt outs'

the way the media is handling it - the way my local news reported on it. That is what I find ridiculous.

[Fearless]

34. Oh ok.

[Hansel]

18. Zillions? Maybe Obama should put together more lesson plans.

Maybe one about how to count.

[Emit]

21. lol, Seriously - 'zillions'? What hyperbole, imho. One of our local news stations did a man on the

street interview for their nightly news last night - they reported that they could not find one person who was against Obama's speech, or against letting their children watch the speech. They repeated, not one. They interviewed folks downtown and at a weekend rib cook off event, locals and people from out of town, and not one spoke out against Obama, and yet, here we have 'news' giving credence to this right wing meme that parents are outraged.

[ecstatic]

22. I don't agree. Kids are graduating from school and

can barely put together a critical thought ffs. The Obama admin is NOT the Bush admin. True, the reverse would make me cringe--but let's just stay in the present. School kids need serious help right now.

[Jennicut]

25. It was not a lesson plan to help Obama per say but any generic President

Come on, I wrote to Reagan as a kid through school activites...what can we do to save the world and all that crap. Its just the Right Wing is so off its rocker and they are sure looking like fools when even Newt and Laura Bush say there is nothing wrong with the President's speech.

[Emit]

30. But, it was originally worded that way -

The original wording did say "to help the President" - that's the mistake, imo, that was made initially - poorly worded and easily taken out of context playing directly into the right's game. All the rest of the hype about the speech, etc. is just ridiculous.

[Jennicut]

31. Still don't see anything wrong with "helping the President", even Bush had kids write letters.

[seabeyond]

27. kids thru out our district had to write gw a letter in support of soldiers.

big deal. told kids, keep it respectful

sending kids out to schools is to learn a vast amount of differing things. and learning how to oppose and yet still be respectful is not a bad lesson to teach our kids

asking kids to think thru what they would do to help nation is not a big deal

reaction across the nation from rw is a big deal

did we hear this outcry from reagan speech in 88?

no

i am never gonna oppose any kind of opportunity for my children to think, whether it follows my line or not. i am not so afraid that my children can be sucked in so easily. further, i think this challenges the kids to absolutely not be sucked in so easily.

[ctaylors6]

35. link to original version of classroom activities:

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/10582301/President-Obama