Courtesy of MSNBC:
The Arlington Independent School District, which passed on airing President Barack Obama's live classroom address, has announced that some students will be bussed off campus to hear a message from former President George W. 
Folks, I don't really know how to comment on this without my head exploding. I'll just make the following statement: Bull Shit.
I don't know about not wanting to be educated. I don't know if the Republicans want to be a collective Cletus (the slackjawed yocul). I think they do tend to question how science and social studies is taught, but I think they all want their kids getting the three Rs. They tend to question facts that go against their beliefs. This is why they are changing history textbooks. They don't want kids to skip history. They want them to learn the history they believe in.
AntiSarah, the owner of one of our little local papers nailed it in her column yesterday. She said the Republicans don't want anyone to have anyone educated. She asked if the local school district is afraid that Pres. Obama might talk the school kids into going to Harvard. She said "Either that or is the Republican Party afraid that if we educate our schoolchildren, then nobody will be left dumb enough to be a Republican. There, I've said it. I just wonder if these people have no shame."
This is a woman who used to be a Republican precinct chair. The local GOP dropped her like a hot potato when she refused to endorse Tom DeLay.
(However, she does have a son who is a total right-wing whackjob.)
Thank you very much. As per usual I would say that would depend on the students you asked. Some would say yes and some would say no. Currently, I am a counselor, so I do "teach" but don't give grades. It's amazing how popular I have gotten.
Barzilla,
I suspect you're one heck of a teacher. The kind that really does inspire kids.
the actions of the right wingers only serve to drive moderates away from them....every time they start attracting them with cogent arguments, they just can't help but burst into flames over something trivial and make reasonable people not want to associate with them
Bullseye, Shortstuff!
I sent a comment about this to kissmybigbluebutt.com also.
Now...where is all the OUTRAGE from the right wingers about this?
They are eerily silent, aren't they?
I want to shout out to them, "Hey stupids, your kids are going to be indoctrinated by Bush's incompetence!"
Maybe that's what scared them so much about Pres. Obama's speech. Mustn't haven kids paying attention in school and learning something. They might grow up to realize their parents are full of shit! So the parents will make sure they grow up as stupid as they are.
Oh, wait a minute. NOW I understand. The pastor of the Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington (the one who is calling on Arlington school officials to explain themselves) is African-American.
I should've known better than to think it would be a WHITE Baptist preacher in the Bible Belt who would do something THAT controversial and career-killing...
Not surprised. They would rather their children listen to a warmongering corporate puppet instead.
There's one guy in Arlington (a Baptist preacher, believe it or not) who is calling "foul" on Arlington's school administrators and asking them to explain the "duplicity" in their decisions.
That guy has GOT to be drinking bottled water.
I made a comment about this very thing yesterday on the other blog.
WTH is wrong with these people?
I am furious. Absolutely furious. And Scott, you are right. These nimrods are marginalizing our president while worshipping at the feet of Bush.
And it's not just that Obama is a Democrat.
Don't forget....he's black. They can't handle that.
Hypocrites all of them.
I would like to express complete surprise that this is going to happen, However, it is completely impossible for me to show any surprise at all that is is going to happen.
Its Texas, Bush is White, hes Republican, nuff said.
Kel, short and to the point. Perfectly said!
Scott, also why I rarely use profanity. Then everyone knows that when I do, I mean it. :)
I've been to Arlington. Bunch of blow-hard racist republicans.
I have several friends who live in the D-FW Metroplex. They say there MAY be something in the water that makes people stupid. He drinks only bottled water, just in case.
Now that I got my quick comment out of the way, let me address something more to the point. I have always thought (and if you read my book you will know why) that politics should stop at the school door. My boss, fellow teachers, and especially the students have no business knowing what my politics are. That's on me. I have never had a supervisor or fellow teacher ask me who I support and if I did I would say it was none of their business. I'm usually kinder to students on the subject, but I still don't tell them.
Dammit, there have to be some places where we are all Americans. School needs to be one of those places. For me, it's about being tolerant and convincing students that they can believe what they want to believe in a safe and nurturing environment. Even if I had a white supremist or Neo-Nazi in my class I wouldn't let on that I disagreed. I would simply present the facts in a calm fashion and hope that they come to the right decision. I've learned through my own experiences that you don't change minds by telling people they are wrong.
These schools have made the worst possible decision. As a PUBLIC school, they are telling their students that the current president is somehow illegitimate. I never badmouthed Bush to students while I he was president. I might have presented the case against one of his policies, but something like what Arlington is doing is the height of disrespect in my opinion.
Very succinct and to the point. As bloggers we are often free flowing with lots of words to describe a very simple thing. My one word for it: HYPOCRITS
Wonder if they are gonna hire this bus company to shuttle the kids to hear GW.
One of the featured corporate sponsors of the Tea Party Express had to pay millions of dollars to settle lawsuits for its role in a bus fire that killed 23 seniors fleeing Hurricane Rita in 2005.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/BurtWorm/3791
Highlights from the speech advance copy:
- Get a classified legal opinion drafted to support to your decision to invade coeds.
- Cheerin' squad is hard.
- Even a C student can go far.
- 9/11.
- You don't know Dick.
A few things come to mind.
First, this is Texas and it is hardly news that we think differently than people in other parts of the country.
Second, Bush is a white guy. See above "this is Texas" comment.
Third, Bush is a Republican while Obama is a Democrat. Again, see above "this is Texas" comment.