RSS | 
Twitter
| 
Be a fan!
Avella students respond to president's broadcast to nation's schools
He spoke simultaneously Tuesday to students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Va., and to students around the country.
He told them that he's talked about teachers', parents' and government's responsibility for education.
"But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents and the best schools in the world - and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities," he said, adding that students are responsible for their education as well.
Rate This Story:
1 the lowest - 5 the highest
Current rating:
Obama called on students to set goals and told them that being successful is hard work. J.K. Rowling's first Harry Potter book was rejected 12 times, and Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, Obama said.
"These people succeeded because they understand you can't let your failures define you - you have to let them teach you," he said.
The story of America, Obama said, isn't about people who quit when things got tough.
"It's about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best," he said.
His message resonated with students at Avella Area High School.
Senior John Avolio described it as a motivational speech.
"If you do study, it's going to happen," he said of success.
Several of the students said they were touched by his personal story of his mother teaching him in Indonesia because she didn't have the money to send him to school. They were impressed by stories of students who overcame significant problems to graduate and be successful.
"We take our education for granted," said senior Brandon Michaels.
Teacher Lori Lochran said Obama's message of responsibility is the same message teachers give all the time. She said she tells it to her children at home the same as she tells it to her students in class.
"We are where we are because of the decisions we've made," Lochran said.
Superintendent Wayde Killmeyer agreed with Lochran that schools send a message similar to that in Obama's speech.
He said the noon speech was perfect for Avella because most of the students were in study halls.
Some parents didn't want their children to see the speech, so it wasn't shown in their study halls, he said.
"We honored that request," Killmeyer said.
The Obama administration came under fire from some who said politics should be kept out of public schools, while others said he was simply speaking to kids about the importance of staying in school and making good choices. The administration changed some of the lesson plans created to go along with the speech after receiving complaints about them.
Some area school districts showed the video message but allowed students to opt out of viewing it, while several others did not participate in the viewing.
View a copy of Obama's speech at www.whitehouse.gov/ MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks. Join the Observer-Reporter's conversation about education at our blog at http://orbehindthedesk.blogspot.com.
Speech : 9/9/2009
The parents should have actually reviewed the speech before making the decision not to show it to thier children. It was a great motiviational speech and perhaps the parents should listen and learn from it as well. It is what every parent should be telling their children anyways. Those who chose not to let their child view it were showing prejudice - not the way you should be raising a child.
Speech : 9/9/2009
To the first poster in this thread, how dare you bring race into this issue. Why is it that you people (yes, I said 'you people', in reference to label and run liberals) equate any disagreement with this president to prejudice? It must be nice to pull out your race card when it's convenient for you. I'm sure it makes you feel your arguments are validated by statements such as these. Unfortunatley for you, the majority of the people see your vain attempts as mere sensationalism. So go ahead, keep yelling 'prejudice' any time anyone disagrees with this president or any of his appointees that are 'people of color'. Eventually, your racial accusations will go completely unnoticed, even when they may be justified.
Speech : 9/9/2009
This is a very sanitized version. Parents had every reason to fear the original message. It was reported to be full of suggestions to follow Obama and his agenda. The solution to a free and capitalistic society is not a totalitarian state devoid of Rights. Amendments One and Two are under assault and the Obamabots haven't a clue because they rely on the state run media for their information.
Speech : 9/9/2009
I made sure that I listened to every minute of the president's speech. I can't believe that parents thought that the president would use this opportunity to promote his political agenda. His message was the same that schools already give to the students and parents should be doing that at home. We all know that students tend to follow the political persuasion of the parents until they become adults and make their own decisions. So what were they afraid of? Congratulations to Avella for doing what all school districts should have done. To those districts who used curriculum as an excuse, I believe that social studies is a part of the daily curriculum. Teachers had the option as to whether to use the materials that were sent out to the schools. They could be used or totally disregarded. I feel that we are seeing the tendency in society to no longer have respect for anyone--teachers, clergy, police and now the President of the US.
speech : 9/9/2009
To the hate-spewing Republicans who call our President a communist: how is the Republican party any better when they insist that Their Way is the only way and refuse to cooperate and compromise with the Democrats? That sure sounds communist to me. Know who else thought that Their Way was the only way? Nazi Germany.
PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SPEECH : 9/9/2009
I am glad to see we have GREAT THINKING STUDENT'S AT AVELLA. I just read the comments & I just hoped that those parent's who didn't want their children to hear this speech, were all placed in the same study hall. It would be a total shame to deprive the student's in that study hall, that they were being forced not to hear it, due to a few who did not want to. I want to thank Mrs. Lochran & Superintendent Killmeyer for showing the speech. God Bless You & all the WONDERFUL STUDENT'S AT AVELLA.
We Still Have That Right : 9/9/2009
Isn't it wonderful that we still have the right to be careful, and if our judgement tells us no we can choose no, even if it is the President! God Bless the USA!
speech : 9/9/2009
Stephen Cady - you need to turn off your Right Wing Talk Radio bud. The President hasn't taken away one of your rights and isn't planning to. I wonder what you would have thought it GW would have broadcast a speech to the schools? I bet you wouldn't have had any problem with that?
An independent thinker (?) : 9/9/2009
From Merriam-Webster dictionary: 1 : injury or damage resulting from some judgment or action of another in disregard of one's rights; especially : detriment to one's legal rights or claims 2 a (1) : preconceived judgment or opinion (2) : an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge b : an instance of such judgment or opinion c : an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, a group, a race, or their supposed characteristics. Did you give any consideration that the poster may have been pointing out the fact that thousands of people pre judged the President by having a position without knowing the facts. So those parents who didn’t allow their children listen to the speech did that why? Apparently some parents thought the President was going to use them as guinea pigs (Michelle Malkin, Fox pundit) to indoctrinate them with socialist ideology (Jim Greer, chairman of the Florida Republican Party). The speech was available prior to the President speaking. It was a straightforward non-partisan speech that any President could have made. Even Newt Gingrich recommended everyone should listen to the speech. So the speech contains nothing political or partisan. So what was the reason why parents kept there children from listen to the President of the United States? The only people that turned it into something political, partisan and about race were the parents, teachers and administrators that kept students from listening to President Obama. I agree with the poster that said the parents were prejudice. What there motivation was I suppose will never know. Saying someone is prejudice isn’t always about race, but if the race card applies.
Obama : 9/9/2009
The speech was the embodiment of what this nation holds in its hearts and minds as it values it public school system. the President's eloquence and good will set forth the principles for academic excellence and a need for students to committ themselves to work and study for their success in school and in life. Thank you Mr. President for sharing this moment with our young students as they begin a new academic year.
Stephen Cady : 9/9/2009
I haven’t seen any signs that the Second amendment is under attack, and it’s apparent from your continuous fact less posts that the First amendment is just fine. Please Mr. Cady could you please direct us to were we could read this so-called original speech that you fear some much. Please if you’re going to spew talking points at least get it right. It was the lesson plan that had conservative panties in a bunch. The White House asked students to write letters to themselves about what they could do to help the president. They suggested teachers could build background knowledge about the president of the United States and his speech by reading books about presidents and Barack Obama. They asked is President Obama inspiring you to do anything, and was he challenging you to do anything. Some, however, see these as ideology. Which networks are state run? The closes thing to a state run television in the US was Fox News during the Bush administration (direct talking points from the White House).
Grateful : 9/9/2009
If you kept your child home from school you had that right. For the school districts that didn't show the speech, they took the choice away for thousands. God, forgive them for they know not what they do.
Speech : 9/10/2009
That you Mr. Gibbs for understanding my use of the word "prejudice". You understood the simple point I was trying to make. Parents decided the week before the speech that they would not allow their children to view it. My point was simple - look at everything and THEN make the decision whether or not to allow your child to view it. I apologize to those you may have thought I pulled out a "race card".
President's speech : 9/10/2009
Thank you Avella Area School District for confirming my reasons to relocate my family here. Once again, I am convinced that the "hicks" do know how to live the good life. We are raising our children with good values that include freedom...to believe in themselves and to be inspired to achieve success. Avella Area School district expects their students to be the best they can be through the support of teachers, administrators,peers and PARENTS. Well spent tax dollars at work!
