Things That Make You Go, Hmmm: The Great School Speech Debate of 2009

Well, it’s pretty straightforward stuff: On Sept. 8, President Barack Obama is scheduled to deliver a major speech to American school children. According to Arne Duncan, the secretary of education, the President will discuss, among other topics, the importance of working hard, and setting educational goals.

Of course, Obama is not the first President to speak directly to school children. In terms of our country's recent history, in October 2001, George W. Bush urged kids to donate a dollar to America’s Fund for Afghan Children. And in 1991, George H.W. Bush was criticized by Democrats for conducting a teleconference with students on the topic of math and science.

The backlash around this planned speech has come swiftly with a flurry of political accusations ranging from socialist tactics and using school aged children as lobbyists. It has also developed into a prickly issue for educators of our children.

This week local and suburban schools began using mass calling systems to inform parents of their intention to view the President's speech, distribute hard copies to students and/or to use this speech as a teaching opportunity. Due to the political sensitivity of this speech and to acknowledge parental desires and views, some are also sending parental consent forms home so that students may "opt out" of the activities.

In Chicago, at least; I find it interesting that our officials have endorsed using the "Birthday Sex" crooner as the face of it's back to school initiative without checks and balances from the community, but tip toes around whether to allow students to listen to a back to school speech from the President that encourages students to focus on their educational goals. Is it just me?

Submitted by: A Proactive Parent

CBS Evening News seeking support for local story about CPS school violence

Good Morning Friends

Charlie Brooks, producer of the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric is seeking to interview a family who has a child in CPS who may be identified as one of the 1200 who could potentially be shot. CPS has allocated about $30 million dollars to this program to protect and prevent additional shootings of our CPS students this year. The program was announced yesterday.

CBS would like to follow a student to from home to school who fits this program and ask them and the parents how they feel about the program.
If you know of someone, who might be interested in being filmed for this story ( which will be shot and aired on Tuesday September 8th please have them contact Charlie Brooks at his office phone number 312 899 2121. Thank you.