Parents and lawmakers speak out against Obama's speech to students

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by baci

For many parents, this issue in my area is how we have been treated regarding our children. Whenever there is any kind of speaker, presentation, guest, special activity, and so on parents must give their consent via written form. It does not matter what it is or who it is.

Definitely not the case in our schools. If it's a field trip or something really, and I mean really out of the ordinary, consent is required. Special programs, guests and speakers? I've never signed a consent for for that, nor do I expect or want to.

That said, sometimes if there is going to be something special or unusual that might make some parents uncomfortable (eg the president's speech or the special classes on puberty and the reproductive system), parents know in advance and can opt out. That's what happened with the speech today. I'm told no one opted out. (The kids at son's school also gave the president a standing ovation before and after the speech without being told to. Glad to see they know some manners.)

I know that I received a telephone call from my principal and was told the speech to the children would be one hour long, but it is up to each teacher if they choose to show the full length or not show it all. Funny, the released speech was nowhere near sixty minutes. That tells me something is not quite right. Was my school improperly informed or was the speech changed after all the craziness? It has made numerous parents wonder.

I seriously doubt anyone ever planned a 60-minute speech to high schoolers and middle schoolers. We were told it would be approximately one hour for the entire exercise -- time spent before the speech talking about what might be said, the speech itself, and time afterward talking about what was said and what wasn't said.