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I agree KarlaT and thats what upsets me too.
I dont give him special treatment because of his color.
All presidents are the same...and equally historical.
It seems to me that if you're that upset over the time they'll lose studying, you could take them out of school and teach them at home during those 2 hours. Then they won't be "forced" to watch Barack Obama being sworn in and you can be absolutely certain they're not missing something that could possibly be on the TAKS that their teachers will be sure to miss during those 2 precious hours.
I think students would benefit from watching two hours of current events in school EVERY SINGLE day, myself. If you think your kids don't easily completely waste two hours a day of school under their own steam, think again.
This thread kills me. Why is the OP so hysterical over the kids watching the inauguration?
First complaint by the OP: The kids will be missing TWO WHOLE HOURS of instruction.
Second complaint: The kids will be forced (I'm assuming no guns are involved) to delay their lunch periods ONE DAY IN THEIR LIFE.
Third complaint: The kids will be forced to set in front of a TV and NOT ALLOWED TO EAT OR DRINK FOR TWO WHOLE HOURS.
Fourth complaint: The kids will be watching the inauguration WHEN THEY COULD BE RECEIVING TWO WHOLE HOURS OF CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION. THEY SHOULD AT LEAST MAKE THEM WATCH IT DURING THEIR LUNCH PERIOD.
What am I missing here? This makes no sense at all.
Personally, I think it's wonderful that kids are exposed to current events and something as important as the passing of the torch in the presidency of our country. The alternative is to have ignorant children.
I disagree entirely. School is for building up minds so that they are capable of intelligently responding to current events, not inundating underdeveloped minds with current events.
I know too many adults who soak up current events but lack the mental acuity to understand anything more than a superficial significance of them. You know the type -- people who carry on about corruption in county government but who don't even understand how county government works, so you know they're only using it as an outlet to vent their frustrations about other things. This type of person shouldn't be the ideal public school graduate, in my opinion.
If we develop actual intelligence and love of learning in our students, they will be interested in following current events on their own.
To clarify, this is what I think in general. I think the question of the viewing of the Obama inauguaration, an event I am in no way seeking to minimize, makes for an interesting discussion.
I can't really support the notion that kids' minds are "too underdeveloped" to grasp current events. If things require further explanation, well, provide it. Do your job.
In addition to being an educator, I also worked for many years in journalism, and the media isn't exactly geared, sadly, at an incredibly erudite comprehension level...it's pretty dumbed down for the masses. I'm sure your kids can understand the news. If they can't, well, who's dropped the ball there?
First this is history in the making and missing two class periods, in the large scope of things, will not impact their school work or their grades. Hopefully the school and teachers will encourage dialogue of the event which for many students will be their first inauguration.
All presidents are not the same. Of course it matters that he is the first African-American president, it would be the same if Hilery had one and been the first woman president. It would be like saying that the days women and african-americens got the right to vote doesn't matter.
One day soon the election of Obama is going to be in school history books, and it will be taught anyway, so why pass up the chance to see it live instead of just in a book.
We watched videos in History class all the time, they are another way to learn and as long as they are relevent that is all that should matter.
If they want to watch, that's great, but this acting like this is such a "historical" thing is driving me nuts. He's another President, no more, no less.
Well, this is in the education forum, right?
Obama's inauguration is historic - the very first of its kind - for two extremely obvious reasons:
1. He is the first person elected President of the United States who is something other than white; and
2. He is the first person to assume the Presidency when this country is faced with the combination of a really, really, REALLY bad economy and TWO wars.
To put this in a non-racial context, had Hillary Clinton won the Democratic nomination and then the general election, her inauguration would have been just as historic, as there have never been any female Presidents. Had John McCain been elected, his inauguration would have been somewhat less historic (still having the economy and two wars to deal with), since he would have been the most recent in a long, long line of white dudes elected President.
Obama's inauguration is historic - the very first of its kind - for two extremely obvious reasons:
1. He is the first person elected President of the United States who is something other than white; and
2. He is the first person to assume the Presidency when this country is faced with the combination of a really, really, REALLY bad economy and TWO wars.
To put this in a non-racial context, had Hillary Clinton won the Democratic nomination and then the general election, her inauguration would have been just as historic, as there have never been any female Presidents. Had John McCain been elected, his inauguration would have been somewhat less historic (still having the economy and two wars to deal with), since he would have been the most recent in a long, long line of white dudes elected President.
Agree to disagree. I just don't see it as any more historic than any other new President. Sorry.
We talk about politics in our house, and encourage watching this kind of event in general. I think it would be good for all kids to watch, but not to act like it's anything different than the last inuaguration was.
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