Not at all.

Why would that upset anyone? He is not going to brainwash them or reach into their hearts and steal their souls. It is a goos opportunity for the president to get a feel for how kids are these days. No doubt some will ask some questions that an adult has told them to ask to try and test him too. How would you have felt if you met the president as a child?

No. 8 years of Bu$h mangling the English language didn't turn America into a bunch of goose stepping Republicans. I don't think one hours worth of Obama is gonna make America into a Brave New World.

Why would he want to? None of them can vote.

It is not a matter of being upset. However, the union educators claim they have no time to teach basic skills, yet they have time to march them to the a/v room to watch al gore's inconvenient lie, or whatever meaningless propaganda the self-anointed one has to spew out.

I really don't care. I can see why some are upset, and I can see why some are happy. It doesn't affect me directly, so I don't have much of an opinion right now.

NO, not at all. The rightwingnuts are foaming at the mouth about this, but they had no problem when Reagan did it, ditto Bu$h One. Typical right wing double standard/hypocrisy. I have no problem with ANY president doing it so long as he/she doesn't get out of line with partisan politics, etc.

I don't understand why someone would be upset. It's obviously a sign that he genuinely cares about the future of the country. These children won't be able to vote for him next term.

No. It isn't like he is brainwashing all the students.

If George Bush Jr. can go to schools to have the children read to him why can't Obama go to speak to them?

There is a difference between George W. Bush reading with school kids and Obama having schools nationwide tune in for his speech.

Why would anyone be upset? It's great!

If Parents made there political decisions based on what there children thought Bart Simpson or My Pet Goat would be in the White House.

Why would you care? When I went to school I remember a great deal more questionable public speakers than anything the president would say under great scrutiny... I mean really, good for him, good for the kids, and it doesn't make a hill of beans.

I think it's great. He's actually taking time to care about the next generation. That is something those kids will ALWAYS remember--that someone in politics actually valued them that much.

While it is unfortunate that someone of Obama's moral character should have such a position, it cannot be denied that the president is set up as a chief role model in our culture. Therefore, I believe it is every president's responsibility to be involved in schools and encouraging school children. However, the problem with his approach is the same problem that most Democrats and far too many Republicans have about education: that is that they believe education to be a medium of social change. Schools are not a place for either Democrats or Republicans to push their partisan agendas and my fear as well as the fear of many others is that Obama, who is one of the most left-wing presidents ever to be elected, will use this as a forum for his beliefs. With that as his understanding of education, the trepidation about allowing him to have unguarded influence over an entire generation of young people is understandable considering roughly half of the American people are diametrically opposed to the president and his agendas. The true underlying issue is that parents should be the ones in control of what their children are exposed to in school: not the teachers, not an education board and certainly not the government. Regardless of what you think of them, conservatives make up roughly half of the population of this country and it is neither fair, nor just, nor right to ostracize and attack them just because you disagree with them. Let the schools return to being places of learning and keep the government and its corruption away from my children!

No, and frankly, I'm not so sure why people are making such a big deal out of it.

Nope. Reagan did it. So did Bush the First. http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2009/09/04/obama-speech-to-students-is-flap-a-sign-of-polarized-times/ Why can't Obama? Oh, that's right. He's a Democrat. And anything they do is wrong and evil. Even if it's something a Republican previously did and escaped criticism for. Silly me. I forgot how these things work.

Why? He's just going to tell them to work hard and stay in school, etc... Nothing political. I don't even know why it's such a big discussion and/or controversy.

I have mied views on this. On one hand, it is great for schoolchildren to have direct access to their president - it is something they will no doubt remember for the rest of their lives! But, on the other hand, I am sure that this will not be without politicial capital - publicity etc. I am not sure that I agree to any political figure using their position of power to capture additional media attention through their involvement with children. A third point that concerns me is that I am not sure whether it is ethically correct for children to be exposed to only one side of a political argument. Having said that the children will no doubt remember this for the rst of their lives, and that there will be a lot of attendant publicity - does this not mean that the children risk becoming only the tools in a political game? I mean, they are being exposed to only one viewpoint, and made to feel special by having media attention. Is this not a way of guaranteeing the net generation of voters? If he were to talk to children privately, with no press, and without the schools being given a fresh coat of paint, then I would be a lot happier.

A man who runs the country is taking time out of his life to show the children of this nation how important they are to him and the future of this nation. And you take that as a negative? What kind of person ARE you?

Why, is he going to be naked?

No. It seems like an incredibly stupid thing to get upset over.

My daughter is not attending the first day of school directly due to the showing of his propaganda in our school. She wont be missing anything important.

not upset...presidents do it...i think its more peoples distrust of him ...its supposed to be about education and lots distrust him and have doubts of what he will say....he has said lots that was partial and stupid....

Wow, I watched the 'I pledge' video that is to be played at the end of this program and it is insanely liberal, all about being green and being a servant to the President. Talk about lefist propoganda! It would be like George W. Bush giving a speech then a video of a bunch of people declaring pledges like, 'I pledge to help turn in suspected terrorists' 'I pledge to help stop stem cell research' 'I pledge to be a servant to George W. Bush'

The real question should be, SHOULD you be upset that the President is going to speak to school children? No. Other ex-presidents have before, why should it stop now?

Its not just the fact that he is azddressing the children....but thaT along with his address...he has also provided a guided lesson plan for all student from grades K-12 to follow and complete after the live address. A lesson plan that specifically asks the student to write a short essahy on how the president inspires them and what they can do to help him in improving education in the US. First off... "HOW OBAMA INSPIRES THEM"!? Are you fraking kidding me? And like children from grade "K" are expected to do this also? Can you say brainwashing at a young age? Yes , bothe Reagan and W.Bush also addressed the children of ameriva on the importance of education, but never in the history of the US have they required and provided the material for lesson plans and instructional guides on what to do during and after the live speech.