Hays schools won't show speech live to students : 9/8/2009
Personally I am glad it was not shown. It was not a bad speech but I am glad it was not allowed to take away from other studies. It can be shown at a school planed time. I applaud usd 489 for letting the parents decide if they wish their children to see this. It is our choice to be honest so thanks for not caving. Another thing just because we wish to protect our children does not me we are prejudice, just leery. Tired of being called a hater just because I don't agree with some one of a different color. Has nothing to do with color just different Beliefs.
(Posted by: We are all people. )

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Schools should not be political battle fields: 9/8/2009
Always remember; in politics, everything is political. The only thing this speech did was further polarize Obama lovers and haters. Only this time, educators, who are perhaps the most dedicated public workers and positive contributors to society our country has every known, are being used as whipping posts. Face it y'all, schools were in a no-win situation. Let's all go back to hating or loving Obama instead of slamming our local schools. They are OUR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS! If you want or did not want your kids to see the speech, go to www.whitehouse.gov and watch it (or not) with your kids. Lets stop the cheap shots.
(Posted by: In Politics Everything's Political)

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Administrators: 9/8/2009
I think it is funny that they the administrators at Hays High School are worried about students watching President Obama when they can't even control their own students at school events. What disrespectful behavior I watched at the last Hays High Dance. They don't have any control.
(Posted by: Parent)

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boe: 9/8/2009
Where in this story does it say the Board of Education made any decision regarding this speech at all?? I'd say the administrators made that decision, not the Board. Of course some of you don't even know the difference between them.
(Posted by: cancerned citizen)

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Horrible to Encourage Kids: 9/8/2009
WOW I can see how people wouldn't want the kids to see the Presidents Speech. Don't want kids to take too much responsibilites in their life. It is much easier to blame others for the reasons you didn't succeed in school. I know many parents that don't teach kids responsibility for their actions. They just bail the kids out of situations all the time. All the president wanted to do is to encourage the kids to take responsibility for their education. What is so wrong with that??
(Posted by: Parent )

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Sad really: 9/8/2009
Wow, extremes on both end of the spectrum in this thread. What is scary is the speculation brought up without the text even being posted yet. Yes the "homework" was scary and was since removed. What is sad is that instead of the kids seeing this and making their own decision, they have the parents filling their heads with it at home. And honestly, the kids would not have cared, they would just have seen it as a time to not be doing schoolwork. Shame goes to the admins AND the parents.
(Posted by: )

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Not that Surprised...: 9/8/2009
...that TMP would see the President's address as "politics" , since they seem to be intent on putting a finger in the eye of Democrats wherever possible, like their rejection of former Governor Sebelius. Would the school welcome JFK here today, like they did in '59? Doubt it. Too "liberal" for today's neo-Catholics.
(Posted by: True That)

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To the poster of Liberal Idiots: 9/8/2009
I think you should of stayed in school. Its quite obvious by your post...your not the brightest color in the box...if anything you have better take a good look in the mirror...you'll see who the IDIOT is !
(Posted by: PROUD of OUR PRESIDENT !)

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Dummies, hell! You're all jackasses.: 9/8/2009
All school officials in this town are jackasses. Simply put. Jackasses. From Kauffman to Simon to DeWitt, you're all jackasses. This incident has made it clear. A teachable moment here. Don't be a jackass and embarrass yourselves with the president of the United States of America. We had a class assignment of writing to Nixon when I was in 6th grade. Didn't make me a person who wanted to subvert the Constitution. Shame on all of you. Oh, and BTW: The Catholic Church ought to lose its tax-free status over this.
(Posted by: Dealin' With Dummies)

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Should be the parent's choice: 9/8/2009
Parents should be the decision makers in this situation. I heard some districts in the US are requiring viewing regardless of parental opionion? This sounds a bit extreme...something Hitler would do.
(Posted by: Choice)

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speech: 9/8/2009
Maybe we should thank our administration....there is no better way to get a student to want to hear a speech than to tell them they CAN"T!
(Posted by: say not to censorship)

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Let student's not parents/school decide: 9/8/2009
Regardless of your thoughts on whether or not school children should watch the President's speach, I think USD 489 & Thomas More-Prep Marian should allow these kids to watch the President's speach. Why shouldn't children be inspired by striving to reach their goals, staying in school, etc. Let them hear something positive for once. Then, after the speach, they can discuss it in their classrooms,etc. What amazes me, is that there are so many people who toss out their opinion before they are even educated on a subject. Did I vote for Barack - no, but that doesn't mean that his ideas aren't worth hearing out. Too bad our great nation can't put aside "party" and start to work together. We need to let our kids form their own opinions. Maybe what the President says in his speach will be an inspiration for our students.
(Posted by: Tired of the complaining)

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Politics and Education: 9/8/2009
Well it is obvious that our school district (with a chief in charge that should have retired years ago) has taken every opportunity to tune out politics. Thanks. No worries, I'll make sure that my son watches it tonite. From now on if the President says he wants kids to listen to an important political speech let's ignore him. I didn't vote for the dude (not because he's black but because I didn't think he had enough experience) but he is the President. But by all means, please substitute your judgment in place of the President's. After all, telling kids to stay in school and take responsibility is so counter to everything parents teach. Way to go 489 "leadership". Missed opportunity!
(Posted by: Befuddled in Hayce)

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Ignorance: 9/8/2009
As long as people choose to be uneducated and willfully ignorant, there is no hope. When fear and prejudice win out over logical thinking and facts, we as a human race are in serious trouble. I wish Hays was the only pocket of uninformed people that existed because then we could just ignore them. Unfortunately this is not so and the lowest common denominator seems to be getting the most attention. I am very dismayed that USD 489 bought into such empty-headed rhetoric. So much for leading by educated thought and example. Maybe it's time for administration to seriously consider retirement for those who are too elderly to participate or understand the current issues.
(Posted by: A Hays Citizen)

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Speech-less: 9/8/2009
It's too bad that people would rather teach their children to be scared of the President of the United States rather than to learn the importance of education. Wonderful job on instructing the future of our country to be so ignorant and intolerant. This competely proves that people are just against Obama for the sake of being against him without any basis for it. The only word I can think of is pathetic.
(Posted by: mlh)

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Sensorship: 9/8/2009
The Board of Education has no right to sensor the President. I am ashamed to see them place political agendas before my child’s education. I am curious though, if the President does say something that has a political tone to it, is it going to be bleeped out? Are the Board of Education sensors going to get out the black magic markers and scribble out the speech from future text books? I myself will be excusing my children from school during the speech to go home and watch it because I raise my children to listen to people when they are speaking to you, even when they are saying things you do not agree with, covering your ears and closing your eyes is not how my children will be taught. If the schools refuse to educate my children then I will. My child is fully capable of cognitive, individual thought, as am I.
(Posted by: 489 Parent)

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Prtesident's school speech: 9/7/2009
Shame on U.S.D.489. the President is providing real leadership to students of america and U.S.D. 489 is yeilding to fanaticism which is trying to subvert his Presidency. the childdren of America are much poorer for their actions.
(Posted by: )

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jenny: 9/7/2009
don't blame this on the teachers, the administration at schools set the rules.
(Posted by: .)

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Embarrassed: 9/7/2009
I teach in USD 489 and am ashamed that our school system will cave in to the pressures of a few people who like to put their head in the sand. This is the President of the United States. Now we are interceding so our students don't have to listen to the leader of our country. Ridiculous! I don't always agree with any politician, but when we stop listening, we stop thinking and learning. If the President of our country wishes to encourage students to work hard and study...they should hear the message! I am shocked and embarrassed that our schools would not encourage this message.
(Posted by: teacher)

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squeekie wheel: 9/7/2009
It would appear the school officials are playing politics of their own kind. Perhaps we should invite the Canadian president to speak to our children, he'd probably be more welcome. where is the shame?It is all over the people that run our schools, is their nation our nation? Authoritarianism was alive and well during the Bush regime but now the regular rules of decorum have been suspended in the cause of at the least-racism.
(Posted by: redpink)

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censorship: 9/7/2009
I think this is so silly. I am only assuming, but most assumptions are right, that most of the parents that are freaking out about this let corporate america "brainwash" their kids every day by letting them watch commercials on tv. They are also the same parents that let their kids watch crappy tweeny sitcoms, play violent video games, and see rated R movies because they are too busy to talk to their kids about it or supervise them. I'm not an Obama fan, but I really don't think he is trying to "brainwash" a bunch of children. I have a good enough relationship with my kids I would let them watch it and then we can talk about it at home as to what is right or wrong (if there even is anything wrong about it). I also remember seeing the president talk at school as a teenager, but I couldn't tell you a thing he said. And I surely didn't think about it when I turned 18 and voted. Chill out people.
(Posted by: parent of 489 kids)

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Transcript: 9/7/2009
How about reading the speech before having an opinion about it. It's located here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/ I defy you to find anything political about the speech except your own predjudices.
(Posted by: JJ)

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Speech to students: 9/7/2009
I just finished reading the text of President Obama's speech. The teachers and parents who are prohibiting their students from watching the speech should be ashamed of themselves! There is nothing wrong with inspiring children to do their best to succeed and our President's own life story is the best example children have in today's world. Again, shame on USD 489 and all the other schools who refuse to allow this speech to be shown to their students!
(Posted by: Mary)

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Watch or else: 9/7/2009
I believe Obama, grow up on a tropical Island called Hawaii,and lived in other parts of the world studying Islam! In his worldly adventures, he rubbed elbow with U.S.home grown terrorist,white haters,fanatical preachers, except for money, they like that....whey not let school kids watch him? Anybody that could come right off the streets of Chicago, put two years in as a Senator, then right in the White House, with all the answers, hey you got to watch someone like that....very closely!
(Posted by: deleted)

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: 9/7/2009
When I was in elementary school and Bob Dole was campaigning. All of the classes in Elementary School and up went with their teachers to listen to him speak about POLITICS. I could have cared less. So what's the big deal?
(Posted by: )

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Prez's speech: 9/7/2009
There will always be those that will never accept this man as our President because he is black. It just goes to show you how backwards this "hill billy" part of the world is. The tides are indeed turning!
(Posted by: Ooops...did I just write that!)

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What's next?: 9/7/2009
Censorship in our public libraries? How ironic that here in America, the land of the free, people are so paranoid that they resort to mind control tactics. (You don't think and believe the way I do, so I will not listen, nor will I allow anyone to be exposed to what you have to say. Never mind what the message, or the truth, really is.) Don't mess with freedom, except when it comes to thinking. What's up with that? These "concerned parents" should pull their children from public and/or private schools and home school them; then they can control every aspect of their lives! Not showing the speech is more of a political statement than showing it could ever be.
(Posted by: Independent Thinker)

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Some Words a Concerned Parent Might Agree With: 9/7/2009
"We reward people a lot for being rich, for being famous, for being cute, for being thin… one of the values I think we need to instill in our country, in our children, is a sense of ‘usefulness’, in other words, are we useful, are we making other peoples’ lives a little bit better?" Barack Obama
(Posted by: And There's More Where That Came From)

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YOU LIBERAL IDIOTS!: 9/7/2009
The schoolboard for once is right-to present it where suitable-how about al-jazera tv! You left wing zombies had better wake up-put the totally biased pat lowery's paper down, and see where this nation is headed under the mind controlling obamadisaster ruling this once great nation. When the fecis hits the fan-everyone of you bleeding heart liberals will be first in line crying foul at poor misunderstood little barry hussein. Good call Hays school board.
(Posted by: conservative & proud of it)

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speech to student: 9/7/2009
OMG, how DARE we allow the leader of the free world to "preach" to our children, our future, about the importance of staying in school, getting good grades, working hard, staying out of trouble, following the rules, etc, etc, etc,(Please note the sarcasim)...Are you people REALLY that ignorant?? Thank God we live in a country where we aren't forced to do ANYTHING, it's a CHOICE people...and choice can be a great thing. If we were a communist nation, it would be considered ILLEGAL for you to NOT allow your children to listen and watch, they would be ordered to do so, and if you didn't comply, you would be arrested and possibly beaten or put to death. This is the USA, freedom of speech AND choice...No school has been ordered to show this speech...everyone needs to just chill out and get a grip on reality. This whole thing has been totally blown out of proportion. What do YOU do when something is on TV and you don't want your child watching it...you exercise your right to switch the channel, or turn it off..If you get a permission slip, Sign it, Don't sign it...it's your CHOICE:)
(Posted by: Freedom Rocks!!!!)

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Wake Up People: 9/7/2009
All the speach is about is to try to make himself look good. He has taken so many hits because of his "socialist" agenda's that he wants to be seen as someone who has the kiddies best interest at heart. The fact is, people believe he is a socialist president and his approval ratings have slipped dramatically. So now it its time to change the image of the man. I disagree with the kids watching him as much as I disagree with the military telling students to make the military a career.
(Posted by: Geoff)

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Hello, this is Outright Censorship: 9/7/2009
What are we tesaching our children here? The United States Constitution gaurantees "Freedom of Speech" to eveery American Citizen. Do we stop teaching that to our children now, are we letting a few rewrite American History? Remember, every President of the United States and member of Congress puts his or her hand on a Bible and swears to uphold the Constittution of the United States. I guess it must not mean a thing to USD 489 and others who wish to Censor the President of the United States. Don't we have Men and Women in our Armed Forces dying each day over seas to gaurantee the right to "Freedom of Speech" for the people of Iraq? A sad day in our Nation's History!
(Posted by: TJ)

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Why so many speeches!: 9/7/2009
Why does obama need to speak so much, is popularity losing here. Also people are so fed with so much information, what is true and false. I think as parent you should have a right to see if your child watches this or not. I think more of our freedom taken away. Also why now is this speech taking place now?
(Posted by: Dave)

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Presidental Speech: 9/7/2009
I too am extremely disappointed with USD 489's decision. This will be remembered anytime the district asks for a millage increase. An important aspect that should be taught in our education system is how to make informed decisions. To make this decision without even reading the text of the speech is ignorant.
(Posted by: Concerned Parent)

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education speech: 9/7/2009
The speech form the president is not the problem it is the homework that was to go with the speech. It is to much like what Hilter did with his brown shirt youth group in the 1930's. Go back and study your history after world war 1 and before world war ii. It is not in the history books you will have to look for it on the net. That is what good informed people are worry about about. He has too many socialistic ideas which is take from the rich and give to the poor so all people will be the same so goes the USA.
(Posted by: barbara)

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First Dictator: 9/7/2009
When I was a kid, the American Bund tried to get their German dictator's speaches into our class rooms, especially in the German immigrant neighborhoods. This was to recruit youngsters to the Hitler Youth organization that was panned as similar to boy scouts. Yeh, even with the Hitler Youth marching song now sung by many, "The Happy Wanderer". Where are his transcripts from his drug education years, where is his birth certificate that he needed to travel freely internationally. What was the source of his millions in a few short years as a community organizer. What will the uniform of his Domestic Security force be, highly trained and funded. Who will be the enemy to be conquered by this force. Will this be like the SS Brown Shirts?.
(Posted by: A Scared veteran. )

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Forget the fact: 9/6/2009
Hmm, well, whatever he was going to say, it's changed by now no doubt! Global warming (fraud proven fake) with this generation is affective... I mostly worried about the things NO posters or the article brought up. That is that he originally wanted students to right down how they could help 'the president' and have their classes work together to achieve it, and followed up by TEACHERS to see that they are working towards these goals. That's the only issue I see. Otherwise shut up! Cuz whatever he had to say, it's either still innocent, or changed because of the coverage.
(Posted by: James)

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Make me ill: 9/6/2009
Why should we have all the schools in America that are payed for by tax-payers, stop, to listen to someone who is completely paid for by tax-payers, tell them that the education they aren't getting at that particular moment is important? Lot of Obama posters here I see, but they fail to realize this man is hurting our country and killing our economy just like Bush, partisanship aside?
(Posted by: Clay)

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: 9/6/2009
Oh my word. How is a study hard speech from the president a political speech. Principal DeWitt, I am so disappointed in you. What craziness. I cannot believe that so much is being made of this speech. What small minds so many people have. Small minds.
(Posted by: )

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What's the world coming to?: 9/6/2009
WOW, 20 some years ago when I was in school, we RESPECTED the president of the United States and were eager to hear from him. What is wrong with the President wanting to encourage our children to stay in school adn work hard to earn good good grades? I don't agree with a lot of decisions made by this President, but I was certainly taught to RESPECT the President of the United States! Shouldn't we teach our children to as well???
(Posted by: Don't understand...)

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Speech: 9/6/2009
I agree with, and appreciate the fact that USD 489 respects us parents enough to record, then view the speech. Thanks for allowig us parents to talk with our children about the speech and thanks for letting us decide if it's appropriate for our kids to listen to it.
(Posted by: anti Obama)

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beyond stupidty: 9/6/2009
Question-Where was President Bush on 9-11. Answer-In a classroom talking to a captive audience of students. Were those students given the chance to opt out of that 'political' speech too, and why didn't the 'liberal' media expose this beforehand
(Posted by: notparanoid)

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BofE is a pushing the limits: 9/6/2009
The Board of Education has no right to sensor the President. I am ashamed to see them place political agendas before my child’s education. I am curious though, if the President does say something that has a political tone to it, is it going to be bleeped out? Are the Board of Education sensors going to get out the black magic markers and scribble out the speech from future text books? I myself will be excusing my children from school during the speech to go home and watch it because I raise my children to listen to people when they are speaking to you, even when they are saying things you do not agree with, covering your ears and closing your eyes is not how my children will be taught. If the schools refuse to educate my children then I will. My child is fully capable of cognitive, individual thought as am I. I am angry that this has been decided the business day prior to the event, so we really do not have much in the way of lodging any complaint, I guess thats they way they like it to be.
(Posted by: Concerned American Parent.)

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TO : UNBELIEVEABLE: 9/6/2009
I just read your post and I am not trying to be rude towards you...but are you for real??? That is the silliest thing I have ever heard.
(Posted by: A Proud American !)

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speech: 9/6/2009
I strongly agree with the decision of USD 489, I have not heard a word from this man that I can agree with
(Posted by: a concerned parent)

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Only One Problem...: 9/6/2009
Barack Obama followed Republican ideology to the letter. He bootstrapped himself from a bad family situation, rejected urban culture, studied hard, applied himself, got good grades, made it into a prestigious graduate program, joined a Christian church, married well and demonstrated exemplary family values, eventually rising to the highest office in the land. Unforgivably, though, he became a Democrat, and now he must be vilified in the harshest possible terms.
(Posted by: What a Country)

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It's Come to This: 9/6/2009
A President who grew up as a disadvantaged minority, without a father, the son of an immigrant, son of a Kansan, through work ethic, scholarship, and raw intellect, is elected by America as its first African-American President and the leader of the free world. Do you think maybe he has something offer that would be of value to our students? It's shameful, cowardly and utterly disappointing that this speech is seen as a political ploy, when the only politics being served is that of a few wingnut rabble-rousers.
(Posted by: Utterly Apalled)

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Gag rules!: 9/6/2009
Oh pish tush! Political speech my eye! What have we come to? We either must trust our students so much that any advice from the President of the United States is redundant, or we distrust them so much that we fear their little conservative souls will be stolen for good if they listen to what is probably pretty good advice. This is just the silliest and saddest thing I've heard of, even worse than the sham raised about the President's being born outside the US. Shame on USD 489!
(Posted by: Molly)

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The President's speech: 9/6/2009
I cannot believe that Hays schools, esp TMP, won't be listening to the President of the United States give a speech, geared to young students. What kind of teachers do you have out there?
(Posted by: Jenny Wren)

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"political" speeches: 9/6/2009
Yep, encouraging kids to study hard and do their homework is incredibly partisan.
(Posted by: nunyer)

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Speech to students: 9/6/2009
Human nature dictates that there will be as many if not more students watch President Obama's speech if they're prohibited from seeing it. Then they'll wonder what all the stink caused by their paranoid parents/teachers was about. Kids aren't stupid!
(Posted by: studadv.)

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unbelieveable: 9/6/2009
Obama now is tryin to get into our children's heads. Students should be in class and not watching TV. It is very appropriate for this "lesson" to be reviewed before showing the children.
(Posted by: a concerned parent)

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President Obama: 9/6/2009
It just boggles my mind,what some people are reading into a speech that has not even been given yet. Do you people not realize the paranoid-ya you have.....that you are also implanting into the minds of our youth?
(Posted by: Sharon)

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education speech: 9/6/2009
Hm. A speech from the leader of the free world, specifically for school kids, about the importance of education? Nope - must not be important at all. I seem to remember reading and hearing all sorts of speeches from presidents from both parties while in school. Part of a good education is learning to be critical and analyze the rhetoric of people, whether we agree or disagree with them. It's too bad Hays succumbed to the propaganda of those who would make a fairly benign man and leader into the next Hitler.
(Posted by: Amanda)

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