Sep 05 2009
The irresponsibility of the Ridgewood school system
Today parents of students in the Ridgewood public school system received emails detailing how our schools are going to willfully contribute to the ridiculous ”controversy” surrounding a speech President Obama is going to make to students and parents this coming Tuesday. By willful contribution I mean the following:
- The schools have agreed to recognize this speech as “controversial”.
- Some schools have elected to not have the speech shown in schools while others will “record, and preview” the speech then decide later “what portions are appropriate to what grade levels”. (I.E. they will censor the content of the speech)
Firstly, this entire “controversy” is sheer lunacy and any rational person who willingly or unwillingly participates in bolstering the claim that a speech that has not even been made yet is “controversial” ought to be ashamed of themselves. Secondly, given all that is known about what the speech is likely to contain (also here) what is the supporting evidence that there is anything to be remotely concerned about?
FACT: The speech has not yet been given. Therefore, the “controversy” is not about the speech – the contents of the speech will be made available on Monday – so what could possibly be the problem?
Given that the justification “controversy” is utterly without merit, how do you think the Ridgwood school system should deal with this event? By quite literally shunning a speech by the President? Censoring his speech? If President Obama has any skills at all he’s a damned good orator, and there are a lot of batshit crazy stupid people who do not like President Obama as a person and will attack him any way they can. Getting people to not listen to his speeches through intimidation would be one pretty effective way to help erode support for our (duly elected) President. The Ridgwood public school system has chosen to either give in to this intimidation, or worse, actively support the notion that there is indeed a “controversy” of merit.
Is this what we want to teach our kids? That intimidation is an acceptable way to influence public discourse? That in a time of great national stress we should pre-judge more and listen less? That the proper and appropriate way to engage collectively difficult issues is to disengage from the debate?
President Obama’s speech on Tuesday will not be about health insurance, it will be about the important opportunities that exist with the effective education of our youth, and how parents, teachers and students can work together to maximize the potential of all students through education. Why is it that the Ridgewood school system seems to be such a willing partner in promoting and bolstering this ignorant and unjustified “controversy” as opposed to finding meaningful, direct and creative ways to engage students with the President I do not know. What I do know is that I am deeply disappointed in the way the school system has handled a situation that, to my thinking, literally requires no handling at all: there is no controversy.
