As an ex-educator who is married to an ex-educator, I happened to like what Obama said to the school kids yesterday. Also, as a parent and a grandparent, I happened to like what he had to say. Kids look up to people like that, and the kids listen to what they have to say.

All that Obama did was reiterate what I have been saying to my kids, my students and my grandkids for years. If I were a parent of school-aged kids today, I’d be grateful for the Presidential support of my feelings and wishes.

Have you read or listened to the speech? It had one simple message – “Stay in school and work for your education.” That was basically it. Yes, he talked about his childhood, and he did mention “green” and “civil rights” topics, but the thrust of the speech was, “Stay the hell in school and make something of yourselves.”

I’ve read the whole thing three times, and, for the life of me, I cannot find one, single socialist statement. Nor can I find one denouncing The Constitution, or promoting Devil Worship. Not one…Seriously.

Obama’s detractors claim that the speech was indoctrination. Some folks say that it wasn’t the speech, per se, to which they objected; it was the fact that he directed the speech to THEIR SCHOOLCHILDREN that was offensive.

Well then, if that is the case, I would assume that these same “Soccer Moms”, as Rush Limbaugh calls them, were equally as indignant when Ronald Reagan, George H. Bush and George W. Bush did exactly the same thing! (You didn’t think that the Opening of School Speech was invented by Barack Obama, did you? Well now, great, big, silly you!!!!!!)

The difference between Obama’s speech and the ones given by the earlier Presidents is that President Obama published his speech in its entirety days before he gave it to the kids. That way, parents and school administrators had a chance to read it and judge whether or not it was appropriate for children to hear.

To me, this whole thing is just a tempest in a teapot that is being stirred by anti-Obama folks who cannot see the current President as doing anything right, when, in fact, as far as this one topic is concerned, he is acting in the same manner as his predecessors, Republican and Democrat!

If you think the speech is indoctrination, please be a little more specific for me. Please point out the parts that you specifically object to. I’ll publish the entire speech in my post following this one. AAAAaaannnDDD, you know what? I’d rather have a President telling my kids to stay in school and get a good education than have one glorifying war and encouraging them to “go over there” and get killed for their country. (Sorry. That’s just my own personal bias.)

And, by the way, how’s THIS for indoctrination: “Write me a letter asking me what you can do to help us out, and I’ll answer you.” You know who said THAT to the school children in his Opening Day of School Speech? George H. Bush, that’s who.

Where were the irate “soccer moms” then?