Good points, Alissa!
What you wrote about parental consent really made me think. What does it say
about us if we do not allow children to learn how to think critically for
themselves, trust them to do so, and respect them for their ideas and
opinions even if they are not in agreement with our own. Information is not
dangerous. What is dangerous is denying children (and adults) access to
information and ideas and not teaching them how to analyze, evaluate, and
apply information responsibly.
Sue Bailey
MEd, Instructional Technology/Library Media
Valdosta State University, Valdosta, Georgia
Program Coordinator
VSU Continuing Education
229-245-6484
subailey@valdosta.edu
"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." --Dr. Seuss
-----Original Message-----
From: School Library Media & Network Communications
[mailto:LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On Behalf Of Alissa Cornelius
Sent: Friday, September 04, 2009 3:15 PM
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Obama's Speech
I'm going to have to chime in here.
First, regarding the fact that it is a speech. I was first exposed to the
State of the Union address when my fifth grade class watched a portion of it
in school. It was undeniably a speech. It was given by our current
President. My only complaint about seeing this in school was that it was a
little over my head. As an 11-year-old, I didn't feel like it had anything
to do with me because it didn't seem like the President was talking about
anything that directly pertained to me or my life. I think I would have
enjoyed hearing the President direct a speech at me - a student. It would
have made me feel like I was more than a second-class citizen, as many
powerless youth under 18 feel.
Second, the need to get parent consent before watching the speech. The fact
is that through the course of teaching, we often expose our students to
ideas that don't necessarily coincide with beliefs held in their homes, but
we don't require consent for all of these things. Instead, we teach our
children the concept of bias and the differences between fact and opinion.
It is possible to show a presidential speech and even discuss it as a class
without "polluting" children's minds. If the need for parental consent for
this speech is upheld, it set the precedent to require parental permission
for any lesson in which parents do not directly agree with opinions
expressed during the course of study. As a librarian, I find it necessary
for students to have access to primary documents, including
political speeches, throughout their educational career whether or not the
students' parents agree or disagree with the opinions expressed in the
primary documents. Again, educating our students about the role bias plays
in any primary document is essential and the responsibility of every
educator.
Finally, the historical precedence of this speech. The fact is that
President Obama is not the first president to direct a speech at students.
In 1991, President H.W. Bush gave a shorter speech via teleconference with
four elementary schools across the country, which was broadcast over public
television stations and therefore available for students to watch from their
classrooms on the afternoon in which it occurred. (Read the transcript of
this speech at
http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu/research/public_papers.php?id=3394&year=1991&mon
th=9)
True, it was not something that the White House encouraged every school to
tune in to on the first day of school, but the President did address
children themselves, encouraging them with statements such as, "...you have
to prepare not just by studying, but by studying hard, especially math and
science. And that means doing what I too often fail to do, that means
homework. And it means setting goals both for you and for America." Now,
surely this was not the first time that American children were told they
need to study hard or do their homework or set goals. But don't you think
some children were inspired by the President's words? If we will bring in
professional athletes into our schools to get our kids excited about
education, why won't we bring our President into our schools to deliver the
same message?
Alissa Cornelius
Library Media Specialist
WOS Elementary School
140 Lester Dr
Tappan, NY
845-680-1305
alissa.cornelius@gmail.com
*The opinions expressed in this message are mine, and do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of my employer
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