Obama Education Speech

As you all know, I live and breathe politics!! I, however, have hesitations both as a teacher and a taxpayer with the upcoming Presidential address to school children. If we could be assured that the content would be strictly related to work ethics in school, doing one's best, etc., then I would have no issue. In fact, having a young President reinforce the messages that parents, teachers, and school administrators try to get to students would be a wonderful use of the Presidential "bully pulpit." Unfortunately, no one is sure what this President will say and if the pep talk turns into a propaganda display, that would definitely be disturbing. I agree with Mrs. Barnett's decision to not have an all-school assembly for President Obama's speech. The political atmosphere is much too charged right now to require students to attend such an event without prior knowledge of the content of the speech.