Patterico's Pontifications

9/5/2009

How Students Can Help the President

Filed under: Education,Obama — DRJ @ 6:05 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

President Obama will give a speech to students on Tuesday and the Department of Education issued instructional materials to supplement that speech. One part of the materials, since withdrawn, generated a lot of criticism: An assignment to have students write a letter detailing how they will help the President.

I wonder if that idea originated from a visit Michelle Obama made to a third grade class at a Washington DC elementary school in May 2009? Here is an excerpt from her visit:

Q Is it hard to be the President?

MRS. OBAMA: It’s very hard to be the President, yes. Being the President is one of the hardest jobs in the world, I think, because you’re dealing with every kind of problem you can imagine. Almost anything that goes on in the world, at some point the President has to think about it and help fix it.

So you imagine walking up every day, thinking about the biggest problems that are facing this country and the world, and people are looking at you for the answers, right — it’s a tough job.

But that’s why he needs all of your help, right? And you might think, well, I’m in third grade, how can I help the President? How do you think you can help the President make his job easier? What do you think?

Q By doing what we’re supposed to do.

MRS. OBAMA: By doing what you’re supposed to do. I love that. And what is that you’re supposed to be doing?

Q By working hard.

MRS. OBAMA: Working hard, right? What else?

Q Listening to the teacher.

MRS. OBAMA: Listening to the teacher. Oh, you guys are really — what else?

Q And learning and stop being bad.

MRS. OBAMA: Learning and stop being bad. Yes. But I’m assuming nobody is bad. Then they don’t have to stop being bad, because they’re not bad in the first place, right?

What else can you do to help the President?

Q Never quit.

MRS. OBAMA: Never quit. That’s such a good — that’s — let’s stop there with that “Never quit.” Okay, you guys remember that. Will you promise me that?

Q Yes.

I hope and expect this is similar to the advice Obama will give students next Tuesday, but the point isn’t for students to help Obama or any President do their job. How can a student realistically help a current President?

The point is for students to work hard and learn so that some day they can take care of themselves and contribute to their communities and nation. But I fear some people are so invested in looking for someone to take care of them that they don’t see taking care of yourself and your community as a teachable or a reachable goal.

— DRJ

53 Responses to “How Students Can Help the President”

  1. Wonder if he’ll tell the kids about his unicorns.

    Old Coot (83c1d1)

  2. Almost anything that goes on in the world, at some point the President has to think about it and help fix it.

    The essence of Obama-style liberalism is contained in that sentence.

    JVW (d1215a)

  3. Scary, isn’t it?

    DRJ (3f5471)

  4. Dear Mr. President

    Fire all the commies you’ve appointed to steal from my hard working parents and then resign.

    Terry Gain (f3f8a5)

  5. The proposed speech by President Obama appears to be no different than a speech given by President George H W Bush in 1991. (The speech, along with a sampling of media coverage, can be found at The Volokh Conspiracy (http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2009_08_30-2009_09_05.shtml#1252117357).

    In that speech, Bush directed students to:

    Write me a letter — and I’m serious about this one — write me a letter about ways you can help us achieve our goals. I think you know the address.

    So it appears that President Obama is simply taking the lead from the first President Bush. Now is that so bad?

    Deepthought (54d9f4)

  6. For some reason you will need to scroll down the VC page. It’s the first post under Friday, Septembe 4th.

    Deepthought (54d9f4)

  7. “How can a student realistically help a current President? ”

    Oh you want the president’s message to be “realistic.” ?

    imdw (034b9e)

  8. Deepthought,

    I trust you will follow through on your online name and give your last comment a little more deep thought.

    imdw,

    Heh.

    DRJ (3f5471)

  9. deepthought said”

    So it appears that President Obama is simply taking the lead from the first President Bush. Now is that so bad?

    Nope, it’s not.

    But why do you suppose so many people are objecting? Just curious.

    But, I’m pretty sure I know your answer.

    Ag80 (b272f0)

  10. #5:

    So it appears that President Obama is simply taking the lead from the first President Bush. Now is that so bad?

    That puddle of spew is so totally disingenuous as to be nonsensical.

    EW1(SG) (edc268)

  11. well, since i’m in school, i guess i should write a letter to Ear Leader telling him how i’m going to help, who am i to shirk this important duty?

    i just doubt that the First Failure will ever read it. %-)

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  12. With Obama, helping the President and helping America are mutually exclusive things.

    John Henry Eden (80fca9)

  13. “i just doubt that the First Failure will ever read it. %-)”

    They’re supposed to be so you can read them later.

    imdw (00bfab)

  14. Deepthought said: “So it appears that President Obama is simply taking the lead from the first President Bush. Now is that so bad?”

    You are right! Emulating Bush cannot be bad. However, I for one do not trust the SOB.

    krusher (6b6316)

  15. Trust. That is it. How does the President of the United States mismanage things to the point that parents won’t let him give a simple address to students? Of course he’s not going to say something inappropriate or overtly political…right? Right? (Okay, now I’m not so sure.)

    ukuleledave (32fa20)

  16. Since deepthought (coughcoughBScough) asserts that Barcky’s proposed speech is no different than the one it linked to by Bush, perhaps it could provide a link to Barcky’s proposed speech. Has “deepthought” read Barcky’s proposed speech so it can make such a comparison?

    JD (6aa3da)

  17. “Never quit” – Michelle Obama
    “I quit” – Van Jones
    “We hire the best people” – Teh One™

    steve miller (c5e78c)

  18. “But I’m assuming nobody is bad. Then they don’t have to stop being bad, because they’re not bad in the first place, right?”

    The fundamental logical inconsistency of today’s liberalism. Nobody is bad, so we need to make all kinds of laws and rules and tell people what to do and what not to do so they won’t do bad things.

    Just remember, “Nobody’s bad”, not even the bully who stole your lunch money this morning after he hit you.

    Maybe it’s, “Nobody’s bad as long as they agree with me.” So Ahmedinajad (sp., I’m sure) is not bad, and Zalaya is not bad. But Zalaya’s detractors are bad, so they must not be human…yea, that’s it. And if they’re not human, we don’t need to treat them as human.

    MD in Philly (d4f9fa)

  19. “The point is for students to work hard and learn so that some day they can take care of themselves and contribute to their communities and nation.”

    Oh, no, no, no. The point is for students to work hard and learn so that some day they can provide for themselves; and preserve their liberties; I would probably include “add to man’s understanding and mastery of the natural world.” Obama is going to press students to work, with the purpose of this work being to “contribute to their communities”, almost to the exclusion of those other higher goals. We are not here to “work for society”.

    SarahW (692fc6)

  20. Comment by MD in Philly — 9/6/2009 @ 5:53 am

    If this is, in fact, a driving force in the thinking processes of Progressives, then I would expect the Congress to offer-up wholesale repeals of the USC, freeing the American People from the yoke of overweaning governmentalism.

    …awakens with a start…
    “I just had the strangest dream.”

    AD - RtR/OS! (fad78f)

  21. “Trust. That is it. How does the President of the United States mismanage things to the point that parents won’t let him give a simple address to students?”

    Yeah. How bad does a president have to be to have such moronic and idiotic opponents?

    imdw (fb5542)

  22. In ObamaSpeak, society = government = Obama.

    Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (f54acd)

  23. It is moronic to not agree with Barcky.

    JD (579091)

  24. Even though i am an obama supporter, i think this is just a lame attempt for the white house to get the youth, maybe not even youth since those children are in 3rd grade, to feel as if they can actually help this administration.

    anthony (21a02a)

  25. “How bad does a president have to be to have such moronic and idiotic opponents?”

    imdw – Note last night’s bus and Van collision. It is the presiden’t remaining supporters who are idiotic and moronic. Open your good eye.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  26. Open your good eye.
    Comment by daleyrocks — 9/6/2009 @ 11:28 am

    He can’t, he’s got a bad case of trucknutz.

    Stashiu3 (ed6467)

  27. My daughter has written a letter, which she may give to her teacher on Tuesday to send to the President:

    “Dear Mr presidint my daddy says you work for me. I want a pony.

    cinserly
    _______________”

    nk (df76d4)

  28. (We’ll work on the spelling and punctuation.)

    nk (df76d4)

  29. “There’s got to be a pony in there somewhere.”

    AD - RtR/OS! (fad78f)

  30. I wouldn’t care if Obama went off to a kindergarten and read “My Pet Goat” to the kiddies—one classroom at a time. He probably hurts us less that way than when he’s in the Oval Office. It should take the rest of his four year term to hit every kindergarten classroom in the country.

    Mike Myers (3b216c)

  31. Giving pep talks to school children is not one of the duties of the POTUS. The Obama administration is pissing away lots of money on this nonsense, and it ought to be stopped.

    Let the federal government attend to its business, and schools and parents can attend to the business of teaching (or propagandizing) children.

    Dave Surls (1d43f9)

  32. Do you think there could be any Subliminal Images and Hidden Messages in the Video?

    Robert L (996c34)

  33. Do you think there could be any Subliminal Images and Hidden Messages in the Video?
    Comment by Robert L — 9/6/2009 @ 12:45 pm

    No Moby, don’t think so.

    Stashiu3 (ed6467)

  34. I can help the President by forging a Birth Certifcate that will declare he was born in Hawaii when, as everyone knows he was born in Kenya. This forgery will put me in charge of a Death Panel where I can order all Republicans killed in order to eradicate the Swine Flu.

    David Ehrenstein (2550d9)

  35. RobertL said:
    Do you think there could be any Subliminal Images and Hidden Messages in the Video?

    Why do they even try this here?

    Ol’ Robert would get a lot more satisfaction at Free Republic. Then he could get a lot of posts to show his friends at Kos so they can point and giggle at us backwoods, God-bothering gunhuggers.

    And they think we’re stupid. Sheesh.

    Ag80 (b272f0)

  36. Yeah. How bad does a president have to be to have such moronic and idiotic opponents?

    As bad in order to have so many mouth – breathing, slack – jawed, incestuous, sycophant blind supporters like you.

    Dmac (a93b13)

  37. JIm Lundgren at Volokh
    http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2009_08_30-2009_09_05.shtml#1252117357
    “On WESTLAW, I looked up other news stories about the speech. It was reported as 10 minutes in some reports and 12 minutes in others. It was carried live on CNN, PBS, and [the NBC] and Mutual radio [networks]. The Secretary of Education sent a letter urging schools to have their students watch, but I didn’t find any evidence of how many schools followed that recommendation. And most striking: Bush laid out goals — to increase the graduation rate, improve student competency and better prepare students for entering school — and said, “Let me know how you’re doing. Write me a letter. I’m serious about this one. Write me a letter about ways you can help us achieve our goals.”

    He also mention’s Gephardt’s accusation that it was “paid political advertising.” But no accusations of indoctrination, and no hysteria.

    But we’ve been having that a lot from presidents recently.

    JW Democrat (e7f8ca)

  38. #36:

    JIm Lundgren at Volokh…

    So there is somebody at Volokh called Jim Lundgren.

    WTF is your point?

    EW1(SG) (edc268)

  39. I pledge to help the President…find a new job come Jan 21, 2013…l’il furious

    furious (71af32)

  40. So much for the Dear Leader leading the Happy Children in Song…furious

    furious (71af32)

  41. “WTF is your point?”

    Did any kids write the letter?

    imdw (5f60be)

  42. imdw, you are either ignorant of, or pretending not to be aware, that the education dept withdrew those proposed lessons. And you are either ignorant of, or pretending not to be aware of when the talk is scheduled.

    Rather a typical comment for you, imdw.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  43. No one should bother watching OBAMA and show what they think of him

    Krazy Kagu (e7ddcc)

  44. Ag80 sez:

    But why do you suppose so many people are objecting? Just curious.

    But, I’m pretty sure I know your answer.

    Politics. Irrational politics seeking to deflect the fact that the greatest federal expansion (interference?) in education happened 8 years ago with the No Child Left Behind Act, proposed by and enacted by a Republican President and a Republican Congress.

    JD sez:

    Has “deepthought” read Barcky’s proposed speech so it can make such a comparison?

    Granted, no, I haven’t, but Newt Gingrich has had a preview, hardly a friend of Democrats:

    I have been in communication with Arne Duncan and the team at Department of Education,” former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said on “Fox News Sunday.” . . . It is going be a totally positive speech. If that is what it is, it is good to have the president of the United States saying to young people across America stay in school and do your homework. It’s good for America.

    http://www.politico.com/blogs/politicolive/0909/Gingrich_Obama_education_speech_can_be_good_for_America_.html?showall

    May be Jim Greer, head of the Florida Republican Party, should have also called the Education Department before he opened his mouth:

    As the father of four children, I am absolutely appalled that taxpayer dollars are being used to spread President Obama’s socialist ideology. The idea that school children across our nation will be forced to watch the President justify his plans for government-run health care, banks, and automobile companies, increasing taxes on those who create jobs, and racking up more debt than any other President, is not only infuriating, but goes against beliefs of the majority of Americans, while bypassing American parents through an invasive abuse of power.

    http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/09/02/2050250.aspx

    Now, to be fair, a “spokesperson” for Greer said he was talking about the now-withdrawn lesson plans, but I don’t see anything in his quote about lesson plans, only “being forced to watch the President.”

    Deepthought (f3eb90)

  45. Deepthought, No Child Left Behind had bipartisan support in Congress.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  46. Deep thought is about as deep as a puddle in the bottom of a thimble.

    JD (c40e14)

  47. Deepthought,

    Newt Gingrich hasn’t had a preview of Obama’s speech based on the quote you provide. I know that because of this phrase: “If that is what it is, …” If Gingrich had seen the speech, he would not have used that qualifier.

    As for being “forced to watch,” schools may have changed a lot since I attended. In my day, students didn’t get a choice about which lessons and classes they sat through.

    DRJ (3f5471)

  48. According to the Dept. of Ed., the speech won’t be available for preview until Monday.

    The school district I work for has mandated the video will only be available for 5th – 12th grades. Teachers have the option to not air it and continue with regular lessons. Parents also have to sign a permission slip to allow their student to participate. Both parents and teachers can opt out.

    Dana (863a65)

  49. Deepthought,

    To clarify, opting-out of Obama’s speech is available in some school districts because of the unusual circumstances. However, in general, it’s not an option for students when it comes to what they are exposed to and study in school.

    DRJ (3f5471)

  50. Hmmm

    I wonder how conservatives feel about President Bush senior who visit a school in Oct 1991 all on national TV, then looked into the camera and asked everyone to

    “Write me a letter about ways you can help us achieve our goals”

    Obama’s lesson plan asked “student write a letter about how they could help the president”

    Both sound pretty sinister, don’t you think.
    I wonder if conservatives were sleeping during Bush’s visit. They certainly didn’t notice anything wrong with it

    Norris Hall (abb519)

  51. Norris,

    After trying to Moby us, why would anyone listen to you? Go away you racist.

    Stashiu3 (ed6467)

  52. Norris Hall,

    I don’t know what Republicans thought but Democrats were pretty upset.

    DRJ (3f5471)

  53. “imdw, you are either ignorant of, or pretending not to be aware, that the education dept withdrew those proposed lessons.”

    Oh I saw that. I just didn’t know it had been done before.

    imdw (490521)


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