Reaction to Obama's Speech to America's Schoolchildren

President Barack Obama spoke to America's schoolchildren at Wakefield High School in Arlington County, Virginia on Tuesday September 8, 2009. High school senior Timothy Spicer-- athlete, AP student, and class president--had the honor of introducing the President to his school. Spicer was introduced before he got on stage. The fact that he is a successful African-American student made his role in the event even more significant.

The speech only lasted for twenty minutes, which was just enough time to make the point. Just about everything that Obama said was what a parent who values education would have said to their child. And more. This is because Obama had a similar childhood as many poor kids from single-parent homes. He knew every excuse that a kid could make for not succeeding in school, and he was on to all of them.

Some quotes from Obama's speech:

"We can have the best teachers, the best schools, the best parents--but it won't make a difference unless you put in the work."

"You have a responsibility to yourself to find out what you are good at."

"If you quit school, you're not just quitting on yourself--you are quitting on your country."

"Some of the most successful people in the world have had the most failures."

He encouraged students to study hard, to set their own goals for their education, and to use failure as a teacher, not as an identifier. He encouraged students to ask adults whom they trusted to help them stay on track of their educational goals. He told students that right now, school is their job.

I heard a lot of these things from my own parents. I am sure that a lot of Republicans heard this from their parents as well. I hope they feel good and silly making all of that fuss about this speech. If they are still mad, well...they will have to attend an anti-racism workshop or two.

Obama's Speech to America's Schoolchildren

The concept of children writing essays about the President, or what they could do for their country, or what they could do to help the President, is not new. Only now, people getting bent out of shape because a president actually provided lesson plans to accompany his speech to schoolchildren. You can access these lesson plans for K-6 and 7-12 here.

No one said that the assignments were mandatory. In fact, no one said that listening to the speech was mandatory. Actually listening to the speech would be a good idea, though, simply to overcome one's fears, or to have something tangible to critique. Maybe this speech would encourage kids to become more engaged in civics and public affairs, and make them realize that they are not too small to make a difference. Where is the harm in this?