First of all, only 5th grade or above might be interested. Secondly, it depends on what he is going to say. Class time should not be used. If parents want their children to see it, they should tape it and show it to them. My students will be at lunch when it airs an I have 2nd grade, so they are tolo y0ung to care about what's going on.

Wow, another fake "I'm a teacher" post from our troll friends, layered with a little implied racism...

It's all about getting the Republicans back in control, isn't it? Throw every accusation and insult you can think of and hope that one sticks.

Nothing else matters. Not the education of our children, the need for jobs that pay enough to support a family, the need for affordable healthcare for all of us... nothing! Just keep obstructing everything proposed by the President and the Democrats until things get so bad that even putting the Republicans back in charge looks good!

The President is encouraging kids to set goals and to work hard to obtain the education they need to achieve them. (Preaching hard work and self reliance - that's socialist indoctrination, all right, and it must be stopped!)

It's just another example of conservatives doing everything they can to stand between Americans and their President.

I think it's wonderful that the President is taking time to address the students. While children cannot vote, this is the first election that I am aware of where even one year olds could say "Obama." It's time to move beyond the politics and be about the business of moving America in the right direction. This starts with having children who are educated, aware, and motivated to be the best they can be.

I am completely baffled, the the first poster, a teacher no less, has underestimated the abilitites of the children she teaches by saying they are too young to care about what's going on. She is what parents should be protesting.

I am a middle-school teacher. During my career, I have made very similar statements to my students. I believe the President's thoughts are intended to motivate students to put forth more effort and to feel a greater personal responsibility for their education. I applaud his efforts; I stand in support of him.
David

I think that it's very important for everyone to respect the President and what he has to say. However, I think that it would be better for this to be shown after school hours so that children could watch it with their parents.

I can't believe they're letting Obama indoctrinate these helpless kids with his socialist propaganda about nationalized health care and entitlements. Sickening!

Well, I am a registered Republican and I did not vote for Obama. However, I never did have much suspicion and actually bristled at the partisan attacks about this speech.

If this speech is what is being given, then more power to him...Obama. It needs to be given over and over again to as many school children who can hear it. Plus, it needs to be given by mayors, congressmen and women, governors, school board members, athletes, etc., etc.

Our President is telling our children that....Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can provide.
What is wrong with this. Our children hearing this and other statements about the importance of an education from someone other than a teacher who some students may feel does not care about them, or from parents who do not even know there childrens teacher?
The things that he has said yes I have said to my children but to hear it from this particular President may give our childrent a better feeling of how important it is to have an education to become something other than thinking that they just have to play ball, rap or just hope they will fall into something.
As for the teacher who thinks that 2nd graders do not need to hear this, then what is your purpose of teaching them the basics?
As a student leaves one grade for another and looks forward to graduation, they should be reminded that to get somewhere you have to be willing go somewhere with your education.
School is not just somewhere that children go because they have to but because it will give them a sense of self, so that they understand that there is more out there then what they see on tv, or hear on the airwaves.
Children will think and ask questions after this message is heard and if we were not so afraid to speak to our students about what is expected of them and why then maybe just maybe so many of our children would not be on the street.
If the President spoke nothing about education then that would be an issue also. Unfortunately, Obama will always be put down for trying to do the right thing.

Everyone use to make fun at the way President Bush would speak. Now we have a President speaking to our students about the value of education, and his speech is rife with dangling participles and other bad grammar. He is supposed to be an "educated" lawyer and leader of our country. Where is the media questioning his speech performances? Oh - I forgot, it must be a teleprompter malfunction.

I cannot believe anyone would be foolish enough to fall for his tricks. He is CLEARLY trying to push his healthcare agenda on these innocent children, even though they can't even vote. If you google the names Dr. Jazmin Perez, Andoni Schultz, or Shantell Steve, it takes you to a website called, "Vote for Obama's healthcare reform plan!" You all are just too brainwashed to realize it

Obama needs to stay out of the classroom. When Bush 41 gave a speech to kids, the Democrats called for investigations and rightfully so. We don't need any Pres talking to our children from any party.

Although I'm a conservative, I don't trust either party.

Obama initially wanted the children to write him a letter on how they would help him with his agenda. He has an ego like Hitler, and it's scary how much he craves attention.

Bottomline, my son would have been held out of school today if he was school age. And, the teachers would have heard an ear full from me from thier offices to the PTA meetings. And, if you think the Town Halls looked like a ruckus. I'd be bringing it to the PTA.

Now, this begs the question. Does Obama really want the kids to have the best education possible while diverting attention from their studies to hear him speak? Also, why didn't he consider how much time the principals and teachers would have to set aside for angry parents like myself.

His intentions aren't to see that these kids have a bright future as much as he wants bright political future. And guess what, this year's high school seniors will be voting in the 2012 election. Imagine that.

Obama needs to worry about two things and he's failing miserably at them. Stop the casualities in the war he stepped up in Afghanistan, and stop the job losses that continue to bleed our economy every month. Doesn't success in these areas require a good thinker not just a good speaker?

His "inspiring" speeches have lead us to more job losses and more death in Afghanistan. So, I really hope he just SHUTS UP, and try going to work like the rest of us.

In the second grade teacher's defense, she is not saying you that second graders shouldn't hear it. She's saying that at their age, they don't care about it. How many things do second graders care about besides cartoons and playing games. I completely disagree with the idea that it should not be shown in school. A presidential address on the importance of education...what better place to show it than at school? Parents can talk about it with their children later on, but that is a great way to begin a school year.

If you want to debate anything, debate the fact that college is pushed on students instead of vocational training. Not everyone will go to college and you can be successful without going. As a teacher, I will tell you that not all children will do well in college. They should be given the option of learning a trade so they can make a decent living for themselves. They can become an electrician, a plumber, a carpenter, etc and make a pretty good living. When was the last time you heard of a plumber who couldn't find work?

"We don't need any Pres talking to our children from any party. " ...since when did "educating" include keeping people, no matter their age, in the dark regarding current events?

I suppose it's best to allow our kids to grow up and then "learn" about world events by way of our fair and balanced media outlets? A good teacher shows or discusses the speech, helps students understand why it's being given, and presents the range of reactions to allow our kids to decide for themselves what their opinions will be.

My daughter is in Kindergarten, so I'm not sure if she will get to see the speech live or not. If she doesn't I will find it online later and let her see it. Americans voted for this man, and he is our President. My personal opinion was asked for when I voted. Whether or not I personally like him or agree with him now doesn't matter. He has something he'd like to say to the kids of our country about the importance of education. He has school aged children himself. I'm glad he's doing it and will encourage my daughter to think about what he has to say.

Wow, BaltoJim, you sure did read a lot into the first posting. Troll? Layered with implied racism? Nice diatribe I must say. And you folks complain about the people who voice their discontent with the proposed health care regulations? As much as I do not care for our current president's politics, I saw nothing wrong with this speech directed at our children. He is our President and deserves the respect that goes along with the office. However, that doesn't mean we should just accept without question the President's desires and wants. Discourse and criticism is critical for the continued success of our nation. Making a demogogue of a poster does little to further the discussions so critical to our well-being. Did you object to Cindy What's-Her-Face down there in Texas making a spectacle of herself?

In the Obama economy, I've met quite a few plumbers that can't find work. Its hard to go to work without new construction.

However, I absolutely think children should be exposed to more oppurtunities in the trades. We all know college is a business.

Obama needs to SHUT UP go to work like a plumber if we want to see our troops get back here alive and our jobs return.

Really Michael? What a counter argument.

If we don't see our dear leader speak, we are left in the dark eh? Guess that's why Hitler shut down the press; people would have been left in the dark otherwise, right?

This is indoctrination, plain and simple. He's a politician just like anybody else, and he wants you to like him so he can have more power.

Can all of you posters really be this naive. And, some say you voted for him. Answer this.

Did you vote for more people to lose their jobs and to send more troops to their death?

President Obama had words of encouragement for the youth of this country. Many of the negative comments that I have heard or read are, more than likely, from people who won't or don't take the time to listen to our children. Bottom line, whats wrong with words of encouragement. Are so many of you so busy or not intelligent enough to sit down and talk to your children about what the president of our country took the time to say?

It's a shame that with everything that has happened, over the past few years, in the USA and other parts of the world that we still have racists and biggots. It's not about our President's speech to help our young people, it's merely about him and the color of his skin. If a former Presidents had given the same speech with the same text and wanted it viewed during normal school hours, nothing would have been said. If Jesus Christ does not hurry and return to this sick, racist world, I don't know what is goign to happen to all of God's children. He made me Black for a reason. He made you white, yellow, red for a reason. Remember, we did create ourselves. Learn to love or at least like and not hate.

Baltimore City's server crapped during the speech, but I enjoyed what I heard overall. Giving students (especially my high school kids) encouraging words for a future they can build isn't a bad thing. If you're of the persuasion that super liberalized socialist ideals are being secretly sold to a new generation, perhaps you need to calm down and gain some perspective. Free and Public Education in this country is a guaranteed right to all citizens, and one that nearly all of us have taken advantage of growing up. Study up on America's education history, it wasn't always free and it wasn't always for the public... in fact, free public education for all is a very Socialist idea.

If you're so terrified of a society that takes
care of all it's members, take your children out of public school and indoctrinate them in the idea that you should never listen to the opposition & never hear out an idea they don't additionally agree with. That should turn our country around... much better than anything our President said today, right?

It is entirely appropriate for the President of the US to speak to all citizens, including children. It is called "leadership." Obama's speech encompasses many of the messages that we parents should be reiterating to our kids on a near-daily basis.

For what it's worth, I don't care for Obama's socialist policies; and, based on the company he keeps (Jeremiah Wright, Van Jones) one should question his judgment at best and sincerity at worst. And the original Dept. of Education suggested assignment for kids to write "how they could help President Obama" was clearly misguided.

However, all that being said, it's a stretch to claim that this speech is some type of political sales pitch to our kids. Be independent, critical thinkers, and give the President credit on those rare occasions when he does something right. I plan to use this speech as a "teachable moment" (sans beer) to discuss educational opportunity and responsibility with my kids.

@teacherman23 - Did you actually read the transcript? Where is the president pushing a healthcare agenda?

Oh, I see, it's where he asks the kids to wash their hands a lot.

"you're so terrified of a society that takes
care of all it's members"

ABSO FN LUTELY

Liberal Democrats run the City with fairly socialist policies to say the least.

How is that working out in Baltimore City?

Do you like a society that allows genocide to go on for 30 years? Do you like digging 300 graves for all the young black men that so tragically taken from this "society?"

Remember, it's your socialistic policies at work.

Do you like seeing black women have the one of highest HIV contraction rates in the Country? Do you like seeing 5 year old shot on our streets? Do you like seeing a family firebombed? Do you like the fact that Baltimore is the heroin capital of the world?

As a social worker, these are issues I fight against everyday in this town. Then on top of it I got to deal with gibroni's like yourselves that somehow think these policies help people.

Socialism isn't helping Baltimore, it's quite literally killing it.

I changed my view on the people that are against this speech. I hope they write on every newspaper forum out there explaining their disgust.

Why?

Well because independents and swing voters are terrified of loons who say the President shouldn't tell students to take responsibility over their own education. Voters in the middle think these irrational posters/commentators/talking-heads are wacko. What's the effect? Middle-of-the-road voters reject what "conservatives" are selling. Swing voters see the hate, the "party of no," and the terrifying emotions behind the anti-progress movement. They see/read/hear it, and they turn their backs, relegating the "conservatives" to uber-minority status.

In fact, I wish the democrats would get these posters and talking-heads on payroll. No better way to doom a political party then to allow it to crumble from the inside.

So, @Ballz Mahoney, @teacherman23, and @bob, PLEASE keep it up! Get a bullhorn and stand on the street to exclaim your viewpoints! Take out ads in the newspaper! Picket in front of city hall! We, here, on the side of progress and reform couldn't ask for better "conservative" standard-bearers!

If that's the case Bill, then please sir lets engage in a discussion. Surely, you would only expose me to be a right winger that would take Republicans to a "ubber minority status."

The only hole in your theory about me is that I could care less about the status of Republicans. I don't trust them either. They were involved in the first TARP, so they will feel my wrath as a voter when I vote out every body that has an (I) Incumbent next to their name.

I say vote every one of them out. I’ve said this for weeks on the Sun's blogs, and guess what, the incumbent party’s poll numbers have been sinking. So I’m not quite sure your logic is anything but wishful thinking.

And, please tell me how losing more American jobs and more American lives is being on the side of progress?

Kudos to the President for speaking in such encouraging terms about education directly to those young people who need to hear it the most! To those bloggers who wallow in fear and misrepresentation, perhaps you should actually READ his speech and understand what he actually said today. BTW... the stimulus dollars will mean more resources for students nationwide.That's a fact.

So PTA parent and public ed supporter,

WHEN will our students in Baltimore City get social justice?

A large portion of funding goes to the CITY every year, and what do we get?

MORE FAILURE. Who cares about resources when Baltimore conveniently "LOST" more than a hundred million only a couple years ago.

Let's talk results not resources. I for one would like to see more than half of Baltimore City high schoolers graduate. ( http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2006-06-20-dropout-rates_x.htm )

Is that too much too ask?

Did see anything in the text of the speech that I would object to, but I wonder if this is the same speech that would have been give if so many parents hadn't objected.

Mike, I was being sarcastic.

To the people who think there were hidden agendas, should all presidents now be banned from giving speeches? If you have a problem with him speaking to children about the importance of an education, surely you have a problem with Bush giving a speech about the war in Iraq, Clinton giving speeches about trouble in Bosnia, and First Lady Nancy Reagan speaking out against drugs. I would respect a lot of you if you just came out said that you are determined to hate Obama even if you have to make something up to fuel your hatred. If Joe Biden or John McCain were president, you would not make ridiculous statements like this.

As far as the loss of jobs and lack of new construction...are you really blaming that on Obama. These were problems that already existed before President Obama even won the Democratic Nomination. The mortgage industry's bubbles burst and many were left in loans they could not afford and faced foreclosure. Pre-existing home sales dropped which also made new home sales drop. All that came to a head in 2008. Are you seriously blaming Barack Obama for that???

Again, just come out and say that you refuse to like him. Actually, you don't have to like him but stop making up reasons to dislike him. Some of you sound like the 8th grade girls I taught last year.

J. Williams: (1) A single post from a "teacher" who goes by "Nubiangeek" who (mis)types that 2nd graders "don't care what's going on" (as if that has ever stopped a teacher from encouraging kids to work hard and stay in school!) and "it depends what he is going to say" when the speech is laid out in full directly above the post! Yeah, I believe that's a post from a real teacher! (I also believe in the tooth fairy and that the corporations are looking out for you and me...)

(2) "And you folks complain about the people who voice their discontent with the proposed health care regulations?" No, we folks don't. In fact, we wish they would simply voice their discontent, engage in discourse and offer reasoned criticism.

Instead, they show up at town hall meetings and do everything they can (booing, stomping their feet, yelling insults, etc.) to intimidate people and keep anyone else from asking a question. They don't voice their disagreement by spelling out what they disagree with and offering facts to support their argument. They only offer insults, make ridiculous accusations (how can someone be a Socialist, a Fascist, a Communist and a Nazi at the same time?), and blatantly lie about anything and everything, so long as it might cause damage to the other side.

No matter what you or I think of what Cindy Sheehan has said or done, she never tried to intimidate anyone or tried to prevent anyone from speaking. Nor has she ever encouraged others to do so.

Once again, folks, look at the message, and you may be pleasantly surprised that it would come from this messenger. He's not talking about penalizing success, as those on the left so often do. He's not talking about blaming others, as those on the left so often do. He's not talking about making excuses, as those on the left so often do. No, this time he is talking about PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. America is a land of opportunity, not a land of guarantees. This time, he got the message right. Just because you may disagree with him on so many other issues, why complain about this one?

Just thought I'd point out that the first person to be assaulted at a Town Hall was a black conservative selling flags. The guy that showed up with a semi-automatic machine gun was black. OUR BEEF WITH OBAMA ISN'T ABOUT RACE.

Bush and Obama stole from me and my children. In case you weren't listening, I implore folks to vote out every incumbent in Congress. Yeah, I blame Obama. He's President right? He is on the take just like Bush was with the Stimulus bill. It was supposed to help put people back to work. How's that working out again? Obama projected that unemployment wouldn’t' rise over 8% if we passed the stimulus. He was dead wrong.
26 year high unemployment, right?

Last year I railed on Bush because he was President. Sounds quite logical to me to rail on Obama now that America is bleeding more jobs and troop causalities.

Too bad, you're only defense is to cast me as a racist or somebody that's got a personal hangup with Obama. I really love it when somebody tosses the race card around so desperately. I take that as a compliment because it means you are tone def to the real issues that Americans are facing and prefer to throw out strawmen and red herrings.

Bill Clinton is one of my favorite Presidents ever because he was pragmatic enough to move right of center after his healthcare defeat. He went on to support NAFTA, reformed welfare, and balanced the budget. He was a Democrat, and as a conservative, I supported his policies and will forever sing his praises.

What made Clinton and Reagan great were their ability to be pragmatic. Provided Obama follows Clinton's lead and falls right of center, I'll be singing his praises 10 years from now.

But, as long as he follows Bush's lead and wants to steal from my family and my children, I will be in his face and his supporters face everyday.

Ballz, I stand corrected. You may not be a racist, but you are crazy. Please explain how Bush and Obama stole from your children. Your statements are very similar to the rest of the Obama haters so you seemed like one until you explained that you didn't like Bush and that you want everybody out of office. Obama came into a horrible economy that got horrible on Bush's watch. How fast did you expect it to get better? I'm a teacher who can't even find a job in any of the neighboring counties. Does that mean it's Obama's fault? A lack of new housing for your alleged out of work plumbers is Obamas fault? The housing market crashed under Bush's watch. Obama actually put into place a plan to help out the homeowners. The banks are much more strict so the times when you could sell a crackhouse for 100k are over. Again, you can only blame so much on the current president. I'm not saying that he's perfect, but he's also not the worst person in the world like you make it seem.

SINCE THE TARP, WE'VE DUMPED TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO WHAT?

Will my family or my children ever recover the money we dumped into that pit?

Here's about 100 billion that we'll never recover of taxpayer money to bail out, GM, a company that hadn't turned a profit since 2004?

http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/sns-ap-us-tarp-oversight-panel,0,283315.story

I guess throwing 81 billion away is a sane thing to do? I knew back in September 08 that all this spending would run big deficits, and ultimately leave the working class stuck with the bill. On top of that the stimulus and the bailouts didn't put anybody back to work.

I don't know what you are talking about when you say that I'm putting the blame soley on Obama.

I want to see every incumbent lose thier job. And don't forget, Obama is the leader of the incumbent party.

And, don't forget Obama sent about 200 troops to their death in Afghanistan these past 2-3 months. Is that the change that you believed in?

Call me crazy, but I have a problem with seeing record level troop deaths and a 26 year high unemployment rate.

teacherman23: if you don't understand how Bush and Obama have stolen from our children, then you are truly in the dark. They -- and Congress -- have racked up huge debts that will never be repaid.

The third largest cost in the Federal Budget (behind entitlements and defense) is interest on the national debt. If we didn't have this monster hanging over our heads, think how much lower our taxes would be without having to cut a single government program. (Obviously, better yet, we would cut a large number of programs and reduce taxes even further.)

The point is, our children and grandchildren will have to repay the cost of the programs that the government is borrowing for today. And even if they never repay the borrowed money, they will be saddled with huge debts.

This blog was supposed to be about Obama's uncharacteristically relevant speech, but since you brought up the question....

teacherman23: OK, you were being sarcastic - but it's difficult to detect sarcasm among so many posts that agree with those sentiments!

Crazy, racist, in the dark, comparisons to Hitler. Yes, I see how gown ups are modeling what makes for dialogue and not simply tantrum throwing. Neither side is listening. As soon as name calling starts, discussion ends.

A President wants to talk to kids about the importance of education. Seems like an easy one to me. Sad that the last President only did it once in 8 years. I would like to see an ongoing discussion about how education impacts society. I would love to see the President, heck, any President, really speak to kids about education beyond even the platitudes that Mr. Obama gave, although it is nice to have someone in office who isn't proud of getting C's in school.

Ultimately what I would really like to see/read/hear is honest dialogue about real issues. This used to be a place for such, with the occasional detour into bashing Bill :-). Now I see that it is little more than bad talk radio.

To move back to topic, we had great discussions in our school about the speech. And we continue, as we did last year, to discuss accepting responsibility for our actions and their consequences.

Finally, I encourage Baltz M to read up on Godwin's law and see how much he contributed to making this a tantrum fest and not a discussion. If you, and those on the other side calling you crazy and a racist, were in a discussion at my school I would have a long talk with you and your parents about how we speak to each other. And then you would serve detention and scrub bad words from the bathroom walls.

I was wondering how come in the original speech they left out the words pluralistic society in his speech and now it's not there anymore ? What is there something to hide?