From my son's 8th grade teacher--a permission slip for... a speech by the President?

[blondeatlast]

E-mail I received:

Today your child will be coming home with a permission slip to view a speech by President Obama. You can also view the permission slip as attached. Please sign and return the permission slip at your earliest convenience. Thank you.

Your 8th Grade Team!

A speech by the President? ANY President? I don't recall having to be given permission to view speeches by presidents. Is this common now? :wtf:

[Sugarcoated]

1. They better do the same if and when we end up with a Repub in the WH

or I'll make noise, lots of it.

[Dappleganger]

13. By 8th grade a child should be able to figure out a few things

about the differences between republicans and democrats. If your home is anything like ours, its an ongoing conversation with frequent examples made up of people in the media, presidential speeches (and the smaller town hall speeches are more simple for an 8th grader to understand than the presidential addresses) and other sources.

We live in a very heavily-republican dominated area and school system, so our kids are used to be in the minority. Last election the older two were particularly ostracized within their history and government classes for their beliefs, but they are proud liberals and hung tough. IMO it is better to help them become used to that opposition at least from middle school and up.

[blondeatlast]

55. Same here. Only child and he had to take lots of heat for supporting the

Burlington Coat factory refurbish (as I like to call it). Deeply, deeply red congressional district, too.

He asked some good questions and I took him to sites even besides DU for the answers--but he really did come home disturbed a lot last week. I told him to either try to avoid politics completely or learn to tough it out. Not an easy thing to take when bigotry is parroted to him (he's mixed race, although it's not obvious, too).

[MedicalAdmin]

44. I won't.

Speaches by any president, sitting, should have been convicted of war crimes, or otherwise are fair game for any teacher to use.

They shouldn't need to have a permission slip. Period. And I will support that point even if Beck becomes president. (although I will likely be in some political gulag if that happens -- but still).

[Dappleganger]

45. LOL!

@your last statement!

Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[Kablooie]

72. You know they won't. It will be mandatory for every child to see it.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[OrangeGrapes]

24. Really?

You kidding, right? You really think it's about race? Actually, you might be right; don't mind the politics, or the ever-increasing sensitivity to anything and everything, the unusual trends that seems to say that this country is becoming a police-state, the obnoxious hyperboles people use to describe how enraged they are about this and that and that someone dropped an ice cream cone and what they're going to do, the lack of actual logic in most arguments. You're right, there's a permission slip to hear the president speak because of a skin pigmentation. Absolutely dead-on. Jeez.

[Winterblues]

47. Do you know of any white President that required permission slips to hear?

I have never heard of such a thing and the ONLY thing I can see off hand that is different is skin color..Maybe you have some deeper insight than I do though..

[ProdigalJunkMail]

74. wow...some people will see raciscm/bigotry in everything

your comment says more about YOU than about the people wanting a permission slip to be signed. you know...perhaps they are just trying to head off backlash from parents who don't want their kid watching political speeches in such a partisan environment...nah, gotta be cause he's a black man...

FFS...

sP

[Wednesdays]

75. Know if permission slips were required for a Clinton speech while in office?

Even during the Monica thing?
:shrug:

[ProdigalJunkMail]

76. in my school as a kid and now...there have been permission slips

required for all 'non-school' activities...and yes...even for bush I (i had to give these out for my history/social studies classes), clinton, and obama speeches...or we didn't see them. there was only one bush I speech during school hours that i recall...most are given in the evening when MOST people (not just kids in school) can see them.

sP

OnEdit : in fairness, the only speech clinton gave that i had the option of having student view was at an after school function so the permission slip was not just for the speech but for the function as well.

[valerief]

32. +666 trillion

[Fla_Democrat]

34. /Swish

:smoke:

[kentuck]

3. Unbelievable!!

:mad:

[Mimosa]

4. That's not right

However, when I was in school we never viewed any speeches by the sitting Presidents. We didn't have TVs in classes.


We may have read about speeches of presidents past.

[Wilber_Stool]

61. When I was a kid

we didn't listen to presidential speeches because they didn't make any. In fact, when the Presedent did come on, everything stopped. We knew it would be of monumental importance. Presidents didn't just come on tv to talk.

I'm 61.

[el_bryanto]

5. Reagan came and gave a speech and we had to sign permission slips

to go see it. But it was across the street at the college, which I think is why we had to sign them.

I didn't go; seemed like a hassle.

Bryant

[blondeatlast]

8. I cen understand if they must go offsite, but this is in the classroom. nt

[Fumesucker]

6. Only since the president is a Kenyan Muslin Soshulist Marxist who pals around with terrorists..

They won't be needed when we get a Real 'Murkin as president again.

:sarcasm:

[Dappleganger]

21. +10000

When the president was to give his speech on education, didn't a lot of schools choose to either not show it at all (it was during school time and meant for students to be the audience) or make it another permission-slip moment. I was somewhat surprised that our district didn't send out a permission slip, but did notify parents that it would be shown to all students. It occurred to me then that they would never have done that for the war-mongerer Bush.

[blondeatlast]

38. I do recall a robo-call for that--parents had to opt-OUT rather than opt-in--

which is still ridiculous.

[Ishoutandscream2]

7. Same as last year in my district

I live in Red Hell, and quite a few parents objected. Now, when another Republican gets in office, let's see if something similar happens. I sincerely doubt it.

[MadHound]

9. This started last year with Obama's first speech to schools

A bunch of RW idiots raised a stink, so schools either sent home permission slips or simply didn't show the speech.

This is the type of thing that schools shouldn't have to be dealing with. But since there are so many idiots who are parents, idiots who have access to lawyers, schools are forced into CYA mode.

[COLGATE4]

14. I'm not sure it's the threat of idiot parents with access to lawyers -

it's really more simple. Principals absolutely HATE to have to deal with difficult parents, even when it's just one set. Now multiply that by some Fundie who whips up his/her child's classmates' parents and you've got a group of 15-20 sets of loud, angry irrational parents all bitching and screaming at the Principal. They take the path of least resistance - "your child won't be able to listen to the President without your written permission", OK??? And so it goes...

[wtmusic]

22. You nailed it.

When this happened last year I called the principal of my son's school and that's basically the reason he gave.

Attendance was optional, even though the law said it wasn't. Whatcha gonna do?

[jtrockville]

29. Would be better if parents had to opt-out, rather than opt-in.

[wtmusic]

31. Not a good idea to let parents determine their kids' curricula

It's the freaking POTUS. Call it Civics 101, and tell parents to get over themselves.

[jtrockville]

35. Well, sure.... but I honestly can't blame the principal too much.

I mean... the principal duties other than dealing with these radicals. And I imagine they'd occupy 100% of a principal's time unless they are appeased in some way.

[MedicalAdmin]

49. Slippery slope thinking

Any administrator worth 2 cents will tell you that you either deal with it today or you will deal with a bigger problem tomorrow. The principals who cave on stupid issues like this are passing the buck, being lazy, and not doing their jobs. Their JOB is to preserve and foster and environment of quality education.

Do you honestly think they are doing their job if they cave in to any group of angry idiots who decide to call? I don't.

[jtrockville]

54. Honestly, I'm glad they "cave" sometimes.

Take military recruitment, for example. What could be described by some as "a group of angry idiots" protested that we didn't want the school system sharing our children's contact information with the military. Rather than blowing us off, we were accomodated (albiet with opt-out, not opt-in).

So in the case of military recruiting, I'd rather it be opt-in.
In the case of hearing a speech from the POTUS, I'd rather it be opt-out.

But yes, I do think they are doing their job by accomodating folks who have objections.

[blondeatlast]

36. +1. I've let her know that I know she HAS to do this, but that I think

it's irrational of the district (and I've let the district know as well).

[wtmusic]

41. That's about all you can do

but you know we're at a bad place when parents are are allowed to meddle in specifics.

I don't want my tax dollars going to an institution which furthers a political agenda (I would have said the same about parents pulling their kids out of a Dubya speech).

That screws the whole idea of public ed.

[MedicalAdmin]

46. It's much less about litigation than you think.

Most parents can't / won't sue because it costs money to hire a lawyer and file a civil suit. As my best friend who is a lawyer licensed to practice on 2 continents and in 6 countries once told me "you ain't getting sued until you see the filing papers. Until then it's just words."

In my experience as a teacher, administrators have their spines surgically removed before they apply for the job.

And this is sort of off topic, but for anyone who talks about teacher accountability, keep in mind that accountability is linked to authority and in schools teachers have only a little bit more than the students. The real authority resides with the administrators and the (often cirminally insane) school boards.

[alstephenson]

63. I couldn't agree more.

And welcome to DU!:hi:

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

10. Only the librul half black socialists or anyone who may have had relations with an intern

[old mark]

11. Funny-I posted about today's speech in GDP and got unrec'd - I'm down to 1 rec now

from 3....could it be I didn't get a permission slip?

FWIW, I posted a link to a WH site that will show the speech live at 1PM with no commentators...If anyone is cleared to watch...


mark

[classof56]

12. Yep, now that Obama is president.

Happened last year, too. I'm guessing it would not happen if the president were say, Palin, Gingrich, McCain, Romney or perhaps Orly Taitz. The issue is President Obama will attempt to "indoctrinate" students with his work hard, stay in school, don't give up on your dreams rhetoric. So Un-American!

Can only imagine, cringing as I do so, what message those other presidential wanna-bes listed above would deliver to students. I have this notion a permission slip to watch their speech would not be required. Sigh...

[flyarm]

15. This was all over MSNBC yesterday! They were ranting and raving about it on MSNBC! eom

[flyarm]

16. This was all over MSNBC yesterday! They were ranting and raving about it on MSNBC! Perhaps..

your child goes to the same school as they were ranting and raving about yesterday?

That would be a weird coinsidence..

or is this going on all over the country?

[blondeatlast]

25. North Phoenix, AZ here. Norterra Canyon School. I just received the e-mail when

I posted.

[Obamanaut]

37. ?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9130782&mesg_id=9130848

[blondeatlast]

48. What's your point? nt

[Obamanaut]

52. Post 15 and 16 have the same subject line, with 'EOM' at the end of

#15 which has no text.

Is there a reason to have to subject lines with the same wording - one with text and the other without.

Thus "?" with the link to the other post.

Easy, wasn't it.

[blondeatlast]

62. I 'm guessing the poster made an honest mistake as I have frequently done.

I personally don't see the need to comment on it when I see it, but YMOV.

[Buns_of_Fire]

57. All over the country? Probably more or less...

It was mentioned on MSNBC today that the President even mailed out copies of the speech beforehand so that whoever might be concerned could vet it. (Don't want him sneaking any of that CommiePinkoKenyanAnticolonialist propergander in on little BillyBubba!)

[woo me with science]

17. This is outrageous.

This is ludicrous, and I would tell the school district exactly what I think of it.

[wtmusic]

18. In the State of California that's illegal.

Kids can be pulled out of public school under very few circumstances, mostly having to do with religion, doctor appts, and sex ed.

They don't need a permission slip, and are required to attend if it's part of instruction.

[WolverineDG]

19. That's because of all the psychos last year

who freaked out over the President telling kids to do well in school so they could get good jobs & be good citizens. In particular, the wacko sobbing her eyes out in the Walmart parking lot....boy was that embarrassing for me to watch last year while I was in Spain.

A real :wtf: moment in US history.

dg

[ProgressiveProfessor]

20. Its CYA, and considering the environment today in schools, not a bad thing

[PA Democrat]

23. I got a robo-call from my child's high school.

They are taping the speech. It will be shown the following day and kids can opt out. When then Senator Rick Man-on-Dog Santorum spoke to the high school, it was a mandatory assembly. Can you tell that my school district is full of right wing idiots, including the majority of the school board?

[Bitwit1234]

26. Wonder how many signed a permission slip for Bush to

read My Pet Goat. NADA.

[global1]

27. This Is Part Of The "Leaving The Child Behind" Strategery By The RW Crazies.....nt

[AngryOldDem]

28. My district has this too, but I didn't see one.

Probably because my kid knows I'm fine with it.

For those who don't want their kids to see it, the schools suggest the parents provide an "alternate" activity for the duration of the speech. Because God knows, we don't want them to get the idea that the president encourages strong academics and success among schoolchildren.

[AldebTX]

30. Sigh

When did a speech on staying in school by the PRESIDENT of the United State become such a threat to our school kids

[MilesColtrane]

33. Dear, God!

Think of the children!

Spare them from forced Kenyan, Muslim, Socialist indoctrination!

[City Lights]

39. Good grief!

I second your :wtf:

[Art_from_Ark]

40. We didn't need a freakin' permission slip to watch the

Senate Watergate hearings back in '74.

[wtmusic]

42. Unbelievable, isn't it.

If someone had told me then this kind of shit would be going on in 2010 I would have laughed.

One step forward, two back.

[Obamanaut]

43. Perhaps the teacher is preparing for a possible backlash from parents

who disagree with deviating from the published curriculum.

No conspiracy here.

[lonestarnot]

50. I hope you amended the slip! Standing authorization! What fucks we have in our schools!

[blondeatlast]

51. I've already calle dthe District (Deer Valley). I was pleasantly surprised to find other

parents had called with convcerns as well--and I'm in district 6.

[lonestarnot]

71. Good job!

:applause:

[Initech]

53. I've never seen such vile, outright hatred for a leader as the right displays toward Obama.

[LeFleur1]

56. When the President of the United States Speaks

everyone in America should listen.

What a bunch of crazies there are in this country. Tell me why this isn't treasonous? It encourages the worst in our country to do their worst.

[Karenina]

58. And THAT is the objective.

:hi:

[Rex]

59. He might say something Kenyan or anti-capitalist...donchaknow!?

:sarcasm:

As a former teacher in high school, I find that very questionable.

[anthroguy101]

60. At least we didn't have slips

like last year, but they still get a chance to "opt out." Very mean-spirited people around here. Also, history teachers didn't have to opportunity to deny the speech to students, again like last year. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9133647&mesg_id=9133647

[Bigmack]

64. Ask the "8th grade team" why the slips...

are necessary. Face to face with one or more of them at a time. Take notes... noticeably... as if you're going to show the notes to Someone Important. Keep the notes for when Pres. Palin is going to speak and whip them out to the "8th grade team".

(Pres. Palin... I just threw up in my mouth a little.)

[blondeatlast]

65. This isn't coming from the teacher (who my son adores), it's from the weak-kneed,

useless district office and administration.

And they well know what I think of it.

[FirstTimeVoterAt37]

66. Ed Schultz did an amazing piece on this

First segment of the Ed Show, it's up on MSNBC and at http://www.bigeddieradio.com/

I feel completely ill.

[blondeatlast]

68. That was beautiful; I was standing and cheering. nt

[struggle4progress]

67. Ooga booga muslin booga ooga kenya ooga ooga acorn booga booga socialist!

[lunasun]

69. well he is black and that could be very

offensive to many to have their child see a black person in power and be broadcast at their school on top of it!!! and a socialist Muslim at that!
so best to opt out now

[LWolf]

70. When parents declare war for showing a president's speech in class,

it happens. It happened last year; Glen Beck helped ratchet up the outrage. When enough parents tell office staff, principals, teachers, and school board members that they don't want teachers showing something in class, an opt-out or opt-in situation will happen.

[Cass]

73. I'm in Florida and our district did the same thing. But this is progress for this area

because last year they banned it outright.

So absurd, isn't it?