How long did it take the right to go from: "if you criticize the President you are a traitor" to "School children should not trust the President."
But seriously, what IS it with the objection to President Obama talking with school children and encouraging them to study hard and learn and do well? I mean, it's not like he's going to be preaching partisan policy, like Reagan did two decades ago when he talked to schoolkids (via CSPAN) about tax cuts.
What could possibly happen as a result of the president and schoolchildren getting together?
Oh, shit. We're screwed.
No, but really serously this time — if parents are going to pull their kids out of school on Tuesday because Obama (he's black, you know) is going to give the kids a pep talk, maybe we should pick that day to teach evolution and real sex education.
* Via Digby, from MSNBC:
Monica Novotny: John, what about this controversy over opposition to Obama's speech to school children?
John Harwood: I've got to tell you Monica, I've been watching politics for a long time and this one is really over the top. What it shows you is there are a lot of cynical people who try to fan controversy and let's face it, in a country of 300 million peopl there are a lot of stupid people too because if you believe that it's somehow unhealthy for kids for the president to say "work hard and stay in school," you're stupid!
Novotny: (laughter)
Harwood: I'm worried for some of those kids of those parents who are upset. I'm not sure those parents are smart enough to raise those kids.
But really really seriously — speaking of school indoctrination (which Obama's talk on Tuesday clearly isn't), anyone remember what I posted less than two weeks ago?
The [Texas] State Board of Education has appointed “review committees” made up largely of active and retired school teachers to draft new social studies curriculum standards as well as six “expert reviewers” to help shape the final document.
The standards, which the board will decide next spring, will influence new history, civics and geography textbooks.
The first draft for proposed standards in United States History Studies Since Reconstruction says students should be expected “to identify significant conservative advocacy organizations and individuals, such as Newt Gingrich, Phyllis Schlafly and the Moral Majority.”