“That's what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education,” said President Barack Obama during his National Address to America’s school children on Tuesday.
Obama’s address to the students of America was met with criticism and controversy all over the United States, one Oklahoma Republican Senator Steve Russell said “As far as I am concerned, this is not civics education — it gives the appearance of creating a cult of personality."
However, what cult is he speaking of? During Barack Obama’s speech he went over key ideas such as personal responsibility, dedication, determination, and hard work. Hardly any ideas unfit for children’s ears.
Democrat or Republican? This speech did not fall into either category. In fact President Obama is not even the first president to go out of his way to address the students of America. He was preceded by two republican presidents, George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan.
“I think it was a great idea all presidents should do it,” said Arrowhead Social Studies teacher Mr. Riechle.
However, schools and districts in Texas, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Virginia, and Wisconsin choose not to air the president’s address during school due to complaints.
“I think if it is worthwhile for the speech to be shown in a class it should be,” stated Riechle on his ideas of whether the speech should have been shown at Arrowhead.
“I think that the school should have let us see the president speak, after all it was advocating education,” said a high school student.