Message From the President

Trenae Alexander, Staff Writer
September 14, 2010
Filed under News

Most students remember the controversy that erupted over President Obama’s speech to students last year. Many parents were outraged, teachers were frustrated, and students were bored. President Obama was criticized several times by people all over the country who felt that his speech was either a waste of time, an inappropriate use of school time, an uncalled for intrusion on student life, or just plain unneeded. So many people ask, why would he make another one?

“It’s good because your watching history and this is the first president that I can remember who addresses children instead of adults,” counselor Kevin Klein said. “If anything it might get kids more involved in politics, history, and a general awareness of the country.”

Despite the benefits of a President speaking directly to students, most people are not quick to forget the amount of controversy that followed the speech last year. Certain precautions are being taken this time around to help the speech go by smoothly. In order to allow the parents to have a say, students can only view the speech in a central location inside the school after they have turned in a signed permission form from their parents. Any student who has the form signed will be given a pass from class and taken to a location that has not yet been determined to watch the speech live. The form, which is available in any A.P’s office, must be turned in prior to the speech since it is not a class assignment and must be treated as though any school activity would be (field trips for example).

“It’s a good idea to speak to students but not during the school day. The speech should be made at a time when the students and parents can watch it together so that parents can voice their opinions better,” Assistant Principal Gibson said.

However, counselors and AP’s opinions do not matter as much as the people that the speech is addressed to; the students. The amount of turn out for the speech nationwide will be crucial for whether or not there will be a third speech next year. Since President Obama is speaking to the students, no doubt they are the intended audience.

“I saw his speech in Dallas and I like it so I wanted to see another. I like knowing what his intentions are for us,” sophomore Devyn Marshall said.

Even though a lot of students complain about the speech being boring and useless, most cannot deny that the President would not waste his time speaking to students unless he had something important to say.