Perhaps most troubling about the President’s upcoming address to school kids is the accompanying curriculum provided by the U.S. Department of Education. While participation in the President’s efforts is purely voluntary and left to the discretion of individual schools, school administrators, and teachers, the emphasis of the curriculum is rightly troubling to many, including myself.
For example, it is suggested that students in grades 7-12 should, before the President’s speech, write their responses to the following questions: “Why does President Obama want to speak with us today?;” “How will he inspire us?:” and “How will he challenge us?”
That line of questioning may seem harmless to some. But notice that President Obama, himself - - not education, not the idea of becoming a learned person, but Barack Obama - - is the central theme of the questioning. And it presupposes that President Obama is, necessarily, inspiring to all who hear him. The United States didn't automatically assign the title "inspiring" to any of our recent Presidents within their first 8 months of service - Bill Clinton wasn't so fortunate, Ronald Reagan wasn't, and neither Bush 41 or 43 were either.
After the President’s speech, Jr. High and High School students are encouraged to contemplate “What inspired you about President Obama’s speech?,” and “what lines or phrases from the President’s speech resonate with you?” Again, the line of questioning is not so much about the importance of education, as it is all about Barack.
The Obama Administration seems infatuated with the man, the person, the persona of Barack Obama. The central idea of the Obama Administration seems to be Barack Obama himself. And this obsession with one human individual is highly offensive to many of us.
Those of us who know, respect, and care about the unique history of this country, understand what makes America unique. In no small part, we are distinct within the broader context of world history, because there are no kings or queens in the United States; our President is one of us, chosen by us, and entrusted with authority for a limited period of time. We pledge allegiance to “our flag,” and we are united by a set of important principles, but we do not bow to any one individual or “leader.”
The Obama Administration can dismiss the school speech backlash as an attack from “the right wing” (White House Domestic Policy official Heather Higginbottom did this last week). But the more that the Obama Administration continues to obsess over Obama, and the more they seek to belittle Americans who dare to question this obsession, the worse matters become for the entire country.
In the end, the President is left appearing as though he understands very little about the country he serves.