The Observation Deck

Jim - I don't know who you talked to but the school board member I talked to named names and some were from right here.

That's all I'm saying, but I didn't lie, that's exactly what I was told.

They can say what they want but if it looks like a duck, etc.

Gary Rice wrote:I do think the leadership of our Lakewood schools made the right call to handle it as they did.

Friend, this is where I hope you and I can agree to disagree.

Gary Rice wrote:We also, all of us, students and adults, need to start examining what happened with this speech across this country and more importantly, WHY...

To me, that's far more disturbing than any speech might have been.

I have no disagreement with this whatsoever.

Laura Bush and Newt Gingrich both educators. Have endorsed the right of the President
to speak to students and children while in school.

Newt who had read the speech at the time of interview, said it was an important speech
for all children to hear and understand.

FWIW


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Grace O'Malley wrote:It's a great speech and if anyone can find fault with it, then I say they just want to find fault with the first black President of the United States.

The real racists are the one's who are afraid to criticize the President because he is black. I show him courtesy and respect by treating him the same way I would any other politician who I disagree with.

The National Education Association condemed President Bush's speech to students:

"That didn't stop Democratic allies from taking their own shots at Bush. The National Education Association denounced the speech, saying it "cannot endorse a president who spends $26,000 of taxpayers' money on a staged media event at Alice Deal Junior High School in Washington, D.C. -- while cutting school lunch funds for our neediest youngsters."

Here is the whole article:

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opini ... 94347.html

Will the National Education Association denounce President Obama?

Bill - Maybe if Obama does the same thing?

Justine Cooper wrote:Why they made their decision does not erase the fact that many in this country have fueled fear and hate by freaking out about our president addressing the school kids to stay in school.
My friend said yesterday "My mom said she heard he was going to make the kids say the Pledge of Allegience to Obama instead of the flag". I asked if her mom was a Republican and she said yes.

Some people will believe anything told to them. Even if it is by a radio talk host who makes millions by brainwashing people with hate and fear. Critical thinking? Yea its lacking in this country!

Justine, your friend's mom may have heard about this video, which is completely different but meant to be shown in conjunction with the President's speech. This one's about making a pledge to work towards making your world, country and community better. There's a couple of unfortunately-worded pledges (Demi and Ashton at the end pledging to 'be a servant to our President, and all mankind', fer instance, seems to have engendered the whole hoopla) but just as with the planned speech, the overall tone is positive and non-political. It's not leading the kids in a rote pledge to Obama, it's challenging them to think about what's important to them personally and how they can apply themselves toward those goals.

Thank you Brian. I couldn't for the life of me figure out where she heard that or why she believed it. When I went to work and discussed it with a group of younger people (20's-30's) they hadn't even heard of the controversary! But they couldn't believe it when I told them people were fighting to stop him from speaking to the kids. I am still in shock over all of this.