Read First: In school speech, Obama says education key to country's future
Again, I normally don't comment on politics but this, which has been going on for several weeks now, steps out of the realm of politics and just into the realm of plain stupid. Can someone please explain to me why president Obama making a speech to students telling them to stay in school is such a big controversy? Should he, instead of telling kids that an education is valuable tell our youth that their education is meaningless and their time spent in school is better squandered at home playing video games? Honestly, I don't see what the big deal is.
I realize that there are concerns of Obama trying to use the address to push a partisan agenda, but honestly, is that even a legitimate concern? Aside from the fact that the speech is typed out on the White House's web page for everyone to read, the idea of Obama using an address to students to stay in school to push a partisan agenda is just stupid. Are we really that concerned about our country's leader corrupting the minds of our youth? Really?
Another thing that got me pissed with this issue, and I guess with people in general is this quote I read from this CNN article:
"'The president's speeches tend to be [about] what's wrong with the country and what can we do to fix it,' said Bill Hogsett, a parent from Dallas, Texas. 'I believe this is the greatest country on Earth, and I try to teach that to my children. ... I don't want them hearing that there's a fundamental flaw with the country and the kids need to go forward to fix it.'"
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what's wrong with this nation.
During my trip with friends to go visit Mr. Holtzman we talked about the degradation of the education system and the blatant dumb-ing down of material being taught so we could make our youth "feel better about themselves". This, quote from Mr. Hogsett is a clear example of the kind of dumb-ing down that we subject the minds of our youth too. We don't want to hear that the nation has issues (which, clearly it does) because it's too difficult for us to accept our country as a great country without it simultaneously being perfect so we ignore the problems its facing. Is that something that should be taught to our kids?
Why would we teach our kids something like that? Rather, since we're not actually teaching them anything, why are we shielding them from a simple truth? Why are we preventing them from thinking about problems? Problems don't solve themselves and ignoring them certainly isn't going to provide solution to any of them. Is that what we do now as a nation? We ignore our problems? When did we become like this?
I'll tell you one thing that I just realized. the movie Idiocracy is wrong. People aren't getting dumber because of genetics (lack of smart people reproducing) people are getting dumber because we're not teaching our kids to think for themselves.
The answer to a problem is worthless unless you can use it to figure out a solution to another problem.
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yes. and yes.
ReplyDeleteit doesn't help that the few teachers who *would* do something about critical thinking skills have their hands tied by federal regulations about "self-esteem".
or we're unemployed because we rock boats.
ReplyDeleteand yes. the fact that our nation doesn't trust the president isn't obama's fault.
I read through Obama's speech and I thought it was kind of nice to have a president who sounded like he gave more of a damn about our kids than we do. I've seen and experienced many school systems... these kids are going to need all the inspiration they can get. Honestly it's getting just pathetic how much politicians want to "win" one for their side and don't think about the people they were voted to represent anymore.
ReplyDeleteAnd by elected politicians I don't mean Obama, just clarifying.
ReplyDelete