President Obama on Tuesday will deliver an address to American school children urging them to stay in school and study hard, but to some conservatives, the whole thing smacks of an attempt to indoctrinate kids to a socialist agenda.
The uproar -- fueled in part by conservative commentators such as blogger Michelle Malkin and radio host Dana Loesch -- has been so effective that some schools in Texas are making the viewing optional, according to the Christian Science Monitor. Others in Columbia, Missouri are ignoring the address altogether.
The speech will be streamed live on the White House Website at 12 noon Eastern time.
"Schools have used students as little lobbyists on everything from illegal immigration to gay marriage to anti-war activism, and most recently, Census collection," Malkin writes. "Will Obama be able to resist issuing a call to youth arms to marshal help in passing his legislative agenda?"
Loesch went a step further this week, urging parents to keep their kids at home on Sept. 8, which she is calling a "National Truancy Day."
"Take a day of vacation," she wrote on her blog. "Go to the zoo. Anything that would save your offspring from what I will bluntly say is just the quasi-fellating of the executive branch."
Also in a huff is Florida GOP chair Jim Greer.
"While I support educating our children to respect both the office of the American President and the value of community service, I do not support using our children as tools to spread liberal propaganda," he wrote in a letter, according to the Huffington Post.
A White House official told Fox News that Obama's speech to students has nothing to do with policy.
"The goal of the speech and the lesson plans is to challenge students to work hard in school, to not drop out and to meet short-term goals like behaving in class, doing their homework and goals that parents and teachers alike can agree are noble," he said. "This isn't a policy speech. This is a speech designed to encourage kids to stay in school."
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Conservatives Urge 'National Truancy Day' For Obama's Back-to-School Speech
Rob Kuznia--HispanicBusiness.com
Source: HispanicBusiness.com (c) 2009. All rights reserved
Total Comments: 5 | Pending Comments: 0
independentcal
9/4/2009 10:21:43 AM PST
If the President's speach was only to ecourage kids to study, stay in school then I would not have a problem with my kids listening, but I dont want him to take this time to influnce them on his policies or push his agenda. Kids should not be used for political pursposes.
missmarykat
9/4/2009 9:11:39 AM PST
Wow...the President of the United States urging kids to behave in class, do your homework and stay in school is considered liberal propaganda?? Instilling in students a sense of pride and ownership in their own education should be appluaded and encouraged...no matter who does it.
Fancerella
9/4/2009 5:26:32 AM PST
Has anyone asked the school children and see how they feel about all of this? Personally, as a school employee, it's great that the President is reaching out to them. All this time it's only Parents and Teachers that tell the students the same thing about staying in school, do your best, etc. Maybe this kind of change, will encourage students to believe what we have been saying all along and do the right thing.
dlauber
9/3/2009 9:36:53 PM PST
Yet another fictional straw man for the radical right! In case you haven't noticed, the Republican Party is attacking everything President Obama says and does -- and when they can't find something factual to criticize, they make it up.
That's exactly what these denizens of the radical right -- the friendly fascists of American politics -- are doing with the President's back-to-school speech. They've never seen his speech, but they can't help but think he's going to try to brainwash children into socialism -- never mind the fact that President Obama has long been a political moderate. It's fascinating how the radical right tries to shelter its children from any viewpoint other than its own. Talk about brainwashing. Shame on the school officials who implement this political censorship.
Feliz Navidad
9/2/2009 6:34:44 PM PST
Not only "conservatives" are urging a truancy day! Many independents and moderates are concerned that this president is abusing his position and power to further his agenda using the most vulnerable among us...our children. Any responsible parent should be outraged at this blatant abuse.
This 'address' is unconstitutional and far beyond the purview of the president of the united states of america. This is the beginning of tyranny, as any informed human being should know. If you love your children, and love your country you will keep your children at home this day of propaganda.
