The President's Address to our Students

Dear friends,

The controversy over the president's speech to our students tomorrow has been amazing. I will admit that I was originally against the idea of the president speaking to our children. Being a Social Studies teacher and knowing past events regarding Germany, Russia, and China I was very leary. However, in this situation I have changed my mind. The White House has not tried to hide anything. It's not as if parents can't tape or watch the address themselves and talk to their children about it. There is no secret agenda, just the top U.S. official encouraging our students to be all they can be. Is this not what we all want for our children, regardless of what political beliefs you hold?

I am asking each of you to lay aside your party politics and see this for what it is, an encouragement to students to be responsible students, work hard, set goals for their future, press on even in failures, and don't waste all your time in front of the television and video games.

I am not ashamed that people know that I am a Christian, a pastor's wife, a Republican (and right-wing at that). I did not vote and would not vote for the current president because we do not share the same ideologies. However, God has allowed this man to be president and as Christians we are to pray for and show respect for those in authority - just as we teach our children to respect people in positions of authority.

Thank God we live in a country where you have the right to say you don't want your children to participate in tomorrow's address! I pray we will not lose those rights.

What hurts me deeply is that the Christian media organizations that I support have wrongly placed all public school educators in the liberal, left-wing category. Stating that we all support the NEA, and will sing the praises of Barak Obama and mindlessly lead the students to the beliefs of President Obama. I could not believe my eyes or ears as I listened to and read the LIES.

My school district, Conroe ISD, will be showing the Presidential address. However, we will not be revamping our curriculum around it. We will go through our day, watch it when it comes on, turn it off when it is finished and continue with the lessons we were already working on. That's it. Students that's families would prefer for them not to view it may go to the library during this time. There is really no need to take an entire day off for a thirty minute address. Not saying you can't, just that if you are concerned that it will be an entire day of activities surrounding it, it will not.

Magnolia ISD, where my children attend, have chosen to stream the address, the board view it, and then if it is not political in nature show it to the students the following day. This is a great option too, just like each parent has the ability to do.

I challenge you to read the address below that the White House had made available. Make your decisions based on knowledge.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/