Julia refuses to wear a bib anymore. Velcro, snap, doesn't really matter. The only type we haven't tried is tie bibs, but those kind of seem like strangulation hazards. The bib must come off! The bib is then used to cover her sippy cup. We don't get the significance of this behavior. She actually tries to take off her shirt too, but she isn't coordinated enough to get arms out of most shirts.
Onto the touchy speech issue. Usually I try to stay away from meaty topics while blogging. I realize there's a difference of opinion in the world, and I do want this to be a fun blog. I personally like to read brain candy, so I try to write brain candy.
But I feel that I must. I'm not particularly intelligent or insightful on the topic. And a lot of things I'm still trying to figure out.
However, I do not think Obama's speech to children is part of the socialist agenda to brainwash them.
I'm sure there are about 5,000 ways to pick it apart from every angle. Doing so is not what I'm attempting.
As a kid, I remember there were only 2 times where the President infringed on my life as a student. 1) The Presidential Physical Fitness Test. What a load of crap that test was. But the President would give you a certificate if you passed. I don't know how I passed it, but I got that paper certificate just like most of the class. Even as a kid I remember thinking that it seemed odd that that the President promoted athletics like that but never seemed to promote academics. 2) During the 1992 election we had a 10th grade project on the election. It was a several month project.
Here's my random thoughts on this speech and public schools. Yes, I am Democrat. Yes, I voted for Obama. Yes, I think GWB is a butt. So, yes, I am biased.
- I think addressing the public school children of the country is one of the privileges the President can take. Even if it was my least favorite President GWB, I wouldn't have a problem with it.
- I would expect such a speech to be completely generic. Kinda like a pep talk or commencement speech. To think it would be anything that even resembles brainwashing is kinda stupid (unless people think brainwashing includes advocating for education and goal setting).
- People who think a short speech could result in brainwashing are insulting to kids' intelligence levels.
- I know there is a contingent of the country who disagrees with public schools. To heck with Darwin, sex ed, etc. And they should be able to home school or put their child(ren) in schools that support their beliefs and control what comes into the learning environment.
Those are my thoughts. I suppose the far right put up with the far left complaining for 8 years, and now it's time for the tide to turn the other way. I am so glad S's parents aren't staying with us right now. I may have not been able to contain my eye rolling and attitude when they send multiple sentences with socialist, Obama & brainwashing for days on end.
4 comments:
for what it is worth, not everyone who is against public school is a wacko religious fanatic. You must not have visited many public schools in Georgia ;-) My kids will be in a private school and we will make whatever sacrifices we have to for that. The next option would be homeschooling.
I would allow Waylon to watch the speech. And then we would discuss it afterward together.
Here's a link to the speech if you want to read it...
http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/
April, I tried to encompass personal beliefs. Some people philosophically are against public schools, or they personally had bad experiences they do not want to repeat with their kids. I have no experience with the Georgia school system, so I am sure you are right.
The big thing is that parents need to be involved in their children's education, whatever medium it is in. LA, you hit the nail on the head! Things can't happen in a vacuum, parents need to be involved.
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