The hubbub surrounding President Obama's Sept. 8 speech to America's school kids has been ridiculously overblown to say the least.
The president of the United States is allowed to encourage students to work hard and stay in school. In fact, it's part of her or his duty to advocate for the success of our country and our people.
Before Obama uttered a word of the speech, before the text was released, reactionary parents across the country were beating their chests, claiming Obama's speech was a sneaky attempt to indoctrinate America's next generation with Obama's insufferable socialism.
Several parents of students at my mother's elementary school in Green Bay threatened to keep their children home if the speech were shown in class. The principal decided to not allow any teacher to show the speech until parents gave their approval.
As Education Secretary Arne Duncan said, whether or not the speech was watched was up to school districts. As with many educational decisions in this country, local school leaders make the call.
The accompanying questions designed to help students analyze and to consider the president's message were designed and written by teachers, not President Obama and his administration.
Even conservative bastion Newt Gingrich commended the president's address to students. ""It's a good speech,"" Gingrich said. ""I recommend it to everybody if you have any doubts. I would love to have every child in America read it, think about it, and learn that they should stay in school and they should study.""
Former First Lady Laura Bush approved of President Obama's speech as well, saying, ""There is a place for the president of the United States to talk to school children. It's really important for everyone to respect the president of the United States.""
Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush both gave similar addresses to the nation's school children during their presidencies. Reagan's speech truly did have political undertones, referring to taxes as ""such a penalty on people that there's no incentive for them to prosper ... because they have to give so much to the government.""
Obama's speech was quite capitalist, despite fringe-right fears that the president is a Manchurian candidate sent from a pinko-commie sleeper cell in Kenya.
""Where you are right now doesn't have to determine where you'll end up,"" Obama told students during the speech. ""No one's written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.""
The president challenged American students to work hard and stand out among the crowd in order to succeed—a far cry from socialist propaganda.
Reminding kids across the country that even the president cares whether or not they stay in school and apply themselves is a meaningful message. It's a message that education matters along with every individual.
The president engaged in this dialogue despite being embattled with the health care debate, one of the most difficult fights of his brief tenure to date.
Obama cares about American schools succeeding because he cares about American kids succeeding. He was once an American kid, despite what the birthers would tell you, and he has two American kids of his own. Obama carries a shared sense of responsibility with all parents in this country. As president, he must work to ensure our nation's growth and success. He knows what matters most as we work toward a brighter future in America: brighter children. And he wanted to remind, possibly inform children that they are the future of our country.
If his speech was sub par for any reason, it's because it was not toned down enough for young children. The address aired for kids from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Sending a relatable message to such a wide age group is a difficult task.
Perhaps speaking above a kindergarten comprehension level is the speech's greatest success. Not babying it up helped the message reach another important audience: parents. The situation is reminiscent of a children's sermon during church. When the pastor brings the kids to the front of church and talks to them in a way they can understand, the entire congregation is still listening, receiving the message.
Obama's message on Tuesday was a message every American should hear, young and old; a message that education is vital to a successful life and a strong country; a message that success takes hard work and dedication.
Perhaps adults and children alike should hear the president's words from his speech: ""I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don't let us down—don't let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it.""
Obama's forceful call for students to work on their education is timeless and patriotic. It's a new take on an old saying by a former president. Ask not what your education can do for you, ask what you can do for your education.
Jamie Stark is a sophomore intending to major in journalism and political science. We welcome all feedback. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
