I would like to voice my 1st Amendment right and voice my opinion on your decision to address every student in our country's schools this next Tuesday. I also have some questions for you, regarding your decision to give this speech. This is all I will say about this event. Once I've said all I have to say, I will respectfully step down from my soap box.
1. Why did you decide YESTERDAY to give a speech to every student this next TUESDAY? Your administration said that you want to simply encourage students at the beginning of the school year. I'm sure you are aware that the school year begins around the same time every year, so why not give the school administration and teachers more time to plan for such an event?
For the record, I don't really believe this was a spur of the moment decision. I believe that this was highly calculated. It is so convenient for you to plan it for this Tuesday, and not tell the districts until Thursday afternoon, with most teachers not finding out until late in the day.
So the district has to scramble as they are getting irate calls from parents, prompting them to send a letter home allowing parents to opt their children out of the broadcast.
The letter goes home today, except that a lot of students forget them in class. It is a holiday weekend and a lot of families are traveling this weekend and will get back late Monday night. It will be very easy for them to forget to sign the paper that will opt their children out of it. This is happening Tuesday, so there won't be another day for students to bring home the form that their parents might want to sign. This also doesn't take in account the students who were absent today and unable to bring the letter home.
Very clever, but you are not as sneaky as you think you are. You remind me of my students who try to use their cell phones in class, thinking I have no idea what they are doing. I do, they are blatantly obvious, as are you. If this was simply a motivational speech, why not give everyone a heads up earlier so that everyone could be more prepared. Now, lessons plans have to be changed at the last minute, tests have to be pushed back. I'm sure you don't think that taking 4 minutes out of my morning classes to accommodate your speech is such a big deal, but the truth is, 4 minutes is a LONG time when it comes to class time.
2. Is this how you plan to "unite" the country?
When you were running for the office that you now hold, you said you wanted to unite this country. However, with this one move, you have failed. Parents are opting their kids out of watching your speech, some will probably keep their kids home. A lot of people are quite passionate and outraged about this.
A typical day in a high school has enough drama as it is, was it really necessary to add more drama to one day? Now on top of all the regular drama, we have the drama that will surround your speech. Kids will be fired up on both sides.
Any person on my facebook friends who make a comment have started a mini-debate in facebook world. This does not make for a very united country.
3. Why not do an evening broadcast so that students can watch it WITH their parents and discuss it with THEIR PARENTS? Which is who they SHOULD be discussing it with.
Some people make the comment "Well, not all kids have parents to discuss this with." That is very true, some kids don't, and that's a sad thing. But what about the underprivileged schools who don't have the means to show your speech?
Those are all the questions I have for now. I'll end with saying that I just really don't appreciate you taking over my school. You and your administration have your hands in enough cookie jars as it is. By all means, encourage our kids to get an education, I'm just asking that you please leave my very valuable classroom time, and my school, alone.
Sincerely,
Angela W.
