Here’s a report from Politico:
Education Secretary Arne Duncan dismissed the controversy over President Barack Obama’s back-to-school speech as “silly stuff,” saying students can decide for themselves whether or not to watch the 18-minute speech.
Let’s start with the “silly” characterization. Duncan’s words will offend a great number of people. Unnecessarily. He’s belittling and dismissive. Why do it? Doesn’t seem like something a “uniter” should be saying.
Second, “students can decide for themselves”? Kindergartners? 8th graders? So the parents don’t have a say? It’s strictly up to the students?
Here in a tight little package is the very attitude that makes people so unhappy with educators — an unbounded arrogance joined with a willingness to play students off against parents.
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On Face the Nation Sunday, Duncan ducked responsibility for the section of the DOE teacher materials that asked students to write about helping the President reach his goals.
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The text of the speech itself was released Monday. The New York Times quite correctly points out that in the speech Obama avoids political issues.
Both Duncan and the Times feign ignorance of exactly what the fuss is all about.
But both lack any knowledge of how parents feel about how their kids being manipulated and indoctrinated by largely left-leaning teachers. Both ignore the fact that this highly-political administration, left to its own devices, might indeed talk to the students about political issues. We’ll never know whether the uproar headed off a speech with quite a different focus.
But for people that are said to be good at politics, and who pride themselves at being in touch with the common people, this Obama group seems more than a little out of touch on this question. When you say “silly” you reveal your own ignorance.
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The speech itself is 2438 words long. We have to wonder if that’s, say, a bit overlong for a five year old.
Oh, and he says “I” 52 times.