What's the best way to, rationally, respond to the irrational (Obama school speech)?

[OneGrassRoot]

I'm not criticizing school districts, individual school administrator or teachers.

I found out this morning that our school district in North Carolina was leaving the airing/taping of the President's speech up to the individual schools.

They also set up a district-wide requirement that parents had to be notified and receive their approval for their child to be involved.

Given that this was a holiday weekend and the shit didn't hit the fan about this until Friday, needless to say, I doubt many teachers went out of their way to try to reach parents for the whole opt in/opt out thing.

My daughter's high school "isn't doing anything. No taping, no anything." Whereas other schools I called said they are leaving it up to the individual teachers.

My problem with this comes down to the simple fact (IMHO) that this NEVER should have been an issue, and certainly not something to opt in or out of. I know some here disagree, but I would feel the same if it were Bush. This is taking politics beyond the theatre of the absurd.

A generic motivational message from the President of the United States to students is not something to politicize. Obama didn't politicize it -- CRAZY RIGHT WINGERS DID.

And they therefore triggered the schools to have to make decisions about how to handle it -- with the time constraints of a holiday weekend involved as well. (School started two weeks ago here, btw.)

If the crazies had not revealed their pure ignorance and hatefulness in all its shining glory, I'd like to believe it would have automatically been shown in all schools, or at least taped for future viewing and discussion.

Now that this has happened, however, and my daughter's school has decided to just act like it isn't happening at all, I'd like to make my voice heard.

I'd appreciate feedback as to how reasonable you feel the following requests are. I don't want to make life miserable for my daughter, but I also can't stand for hypocrisy to reign without countering it. I feel I'm standing in my integrity by requesting that:

1. They not have ANYONE speak there who could be interpreted as speaking about anything even remotely political without the prior notice and opting in/out.

2. They not have any teachers -- other than Civics and History teachers -- discuss anyone or anything political. For example, my daughter's AP English teacher conveniently works in her "appreciation of Sarah Palin as a speaker" with her lessons and how she is a "fan of Ann Coulter's writing." And this is an award-winning, well-traveled teacher, mind you!

3. They NOT have military recruiters visit the school.


I'm tempted to ask for The Pledge to not be recited and the flag taken down, but I suppose that supersedes politics. I don't know...I still think it's hypocritical to require The Pledge be recited but not allow the students to listen to The President. To me, patriotism is intrinsically linked with respect for the Office of The President of The United States, even if you disagree with the person holding that office.

Even though I don't believe Bush was the democratically-elected president in 2000, it never would have occurred to me to try to block a speech such as the one being given today.

Thoughts, recommendations?

[ShortnFiery]

1. Those schools will be "eating crow" by the time our President finishes ...

;)

[ddeclue]

2. ridicule and humiliation, preferably by using their own people and words against them.

[T Wolf]

3. It is futile and a waste of time to try and find a rational response to irrationality. It is

impossible to reason with someone who does not accept fact and logic.

Better to simply work around them (if possible) and remove them from the equation (by any means necessary).

For Christ's sake - these people think the Flintstones was a documentary. How can you look for "common ground" for a rational discussion with that kind of ingnorance and stupidity?

[teenagebambam]

4. Anyone can already opt out of the Pledge

Jehovah's Witnesses, for example, do so as a matter of course.

[sinkingfeeling]

5. Well, my town's high school isn't showing it, so I'm voting against their millage request to build

a $113 million high school, which would increase my property taxes by about $650 a year. (I intended to vote against it anyway, because it's for 1300 students, more geared to sports than education, too plush for the town, and will be used as a 'bragging point')

[damntexdem]

6. There is no rational way to respond to the irrational, nor to those who egg them on.

We can only speak rationally to those who haven't drunk the KoolAid.

[ThomWV]

7. Most rational? Wait until tomorrow when everyone has forgot the speech.

[Doctor_J]

8. Rational? None. The people you're trying to reach are MENTALLY ILL

treat them that way, and refer to them that way. When they start rambling about brainwashing and such, ask them if they have seen a psychiatrist, and if not, why not?

[seabeyond]

9. by going after red states educational system? seems to be what works on du. nt

[Wednesdays]

10. Simple...show them the video of the speech

See what they have to say then. At best, they'll just stutter for five minutes.

[OneGrassRoot]

11. I think I'm going to encourage the district superintendent to establish....

clear, consistent policy now that Crazy has entered the system in a new way.

They need to set clear guidelines to make sure they're consistent. No letting a Republican governor, for example, give a motivational speech while ignoring POTUS. The parents can't have it both ways, so the district needs to establish rules now that they've allowed one group to dictate how this would be handled. Otherwise, they're always going to be in reactionary mode.


When my daughter graduates, I can't WAIT to call a meeting with the Palin-lovin', Coulter fan and principal.

Oh, the other thing she did which royally pissed me off was regarding Ted Kennedy.

Much to my dismay, his passing wasn't mentioned at all in any of my daughter's classes. When she came home the second day after he passed, I was delighted when she told me her English teacher did say "something" about Ted Kennedy, though didn't mention he passed.

She simply told them to look up Chappaquiddick.

This is gonna be a longgggggggggg two years.

:mad: