Should kids have been allowed to see the inauguration at school yesterday?

[proud2BlibKansan]

Just got this email and found it kind of interesting.


I talked with 3 different people today who told me that their children’s schools were, to varying degrees, not covering the inauguration for all the kids in the school! One was a mom of a daughter at Shawnee Mission school district. When she asked the principal if her daughter would be able to watch the inauguration, the principal said that IF the teacher wanted to, they would. The principal went on to say that if they were supposed to be doing art, they’d be doing art, if they were supposed to be doing PE, that’s what they’d be doing. So my coworker went to her daughter’s teacher and asked that teacher if her daughter would be able to see the inauguration, and that teacher said that yes, their class would be watching. Then my coworker went back to the principal and asked, “Is there someone else I could talk to about how I am VERY disappointed, actually appalled that all the kids aren’t participating in this historic moment in our nation’s history,” and the principal told my coworker in a rude tone of voice, “Why don’t you just take her out of school then?!!” My coworker, not wanting to engage in a nasty conversation, said thank you, and walked away. As she was walking away, the principal again yelled to my coworker, “Just pull her out of class!” So my coworker called the school later to find out who to speak to about the principal’s behavior, and when she called that person, he was away in DC for the inauguration! So she left a message for him to call her.



Another coworker whose kids are in the Kansas City school district had a similar experience when she asked if her child would be able to see the inauguration. She said those school officials acted like she was bothering them, and so this mother told the school that no matter what classroom WAS watching the inauguration, she wanted her child in that classroom.



A third coworker told me that he was at a meeting today where another of our colleagues said that she was told that the Lee’s Summit school district had told their teachers they were NOT to show the inauguration.



When I talked a teacher about this today, she said that her school and the other schools she is familiar with were covering the inauguration for all kids.



I just thought someone might find this a worthwhile issue to cover, showing that obviously partisan bitterness is alive and well here in Kansas City. This inauguration is not about partisan issues, but a grand historic event.


Oh, by the way, I did see a news clip about the same kind of thing happening in Federal Way, Washington, where the students were required to get written permission from their parents in order to be able to watch the inauguration. They said in this news clip that this is the same school where they were not showing Al Gore’s movie.

[TexasObserver]

1. Absolutely.

[muntrv]

2. Uh YEAH!! It's called HISTORY!!

[Tangerine LaBamba]

3. This is just bullshit

That shouting principal needs to have some tits slapped together, as we say here in the South. That is completely unacceptable, and, if I were that parent, I'd be looking for a head to roll.

How on earth can "educators" justify their keeping an historical event like this from their students?

it's shameful.

When are people going to embrace patriotism as eagerly as they embrace partisanship? I hope President Obama will change these benighted folks.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

4. Of course they should have. It's not about party politics, it's about the American political process

I certainly wouldn't have wanted my kids to have to hear GWB get Inaugurated, or John McCain even, so my views are somewhat biased, but I do think that the Inauguration itself is a major historical event and there is no reason why kids shouldn't be able to see or hear it.

At my son's school they played it in some classrooms, on the radio or TV. I'm not sure how that went over, because we kept him home from school so he could watch it in full HDTV with us!

Both of my kids (13 and 17) paid close attention and were very interested. I'm not sure how deeply they grasp the significance of this particular Inauguration, but they certainly know how happy their parents are to see Bush go, and to see Obama take his place!

[elocs]

5. It would have been a good history lesson.

Kind of like they herded us out to sit on the gyn floor to watch the first space launches on a black & white tv when I was in grade school.

[proud2BlibKansan]

20. Yes same here

I still remember how neat that was. And I still get excited watching the space shuttle launch and land.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. I remeber watchin Kennedy's inauguration at school

I was in third grade.

[Warpy]

7. When I was in school, places that had PA systems

put the Kennedy assassination, the Shepard space launch, much of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and other momentous things over the PA system.

I can't believe they don't do that now, except I do realize that listening to the first black president of this country take the oath might cut into his predecessor's ridiculous NCLB "teach to the test" school format.

But yes, they were being narrow, partisan and petty.

[seabeyond]

8. amarillo texas, my kids schools did. and they covered and followed election. n/t

[Pirate Smile]

9. My kids go to a Catholic Elementary School in Iowa. The entire school watched it in the gym

together.

:)

[villager]

10. at my son's school, a class of 5th & 6th graders was *at* the inauguration:

http://www.dailynews.com/ci_11507017

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. Now that is cool

What lucky kids.

[villager]

27. they are. Teacher for that grade applied about 18 mos. ago...

...through a Smithsonian program for classrooms, so it was obviously a crapshoot that this would turn out to be such a joyous occasion...

But man! Talk about a lifetime memory!

[proud2BlibKansan]

28. Where are the kids from?

[villager]

30. it's an L.A. school of the "independent" sort...

...and draws from different neighborhoods and economic classes, around town...

[cynatnite]

11. My son's school watched it...

I don't get why a school wouldn't allow it. It's a part of history and shows how our government works.

Now, you won't find a school around here willing to show Al Gore's movie. That's because the parents are mostly southern baptist types. What's funny, is that most of the teachers are fairly progressive.

[Kittycat]

12. My son came home with a photo-copied color book all about Obama &

his family. It spoke briefly about him running for president, getting elected - even mentioning Malia & Sasha. At the end there was a blank frame to draw or put a picture of the Obama's new dog when they get it. For reference, my son is only in preschool (part of the public school district). I sent him to school that day with his "Team Obama" t-shirt on, and he's had an Obama button on his backpack since February last year (he kept taking ours and asking for it to be put on - so we compromised on the backpack vs. his person).

He got home just in time to watch the inauguration speech with us :)

[sohndrsmith]

13. Absolutely. I remember gathering in the library as a child to see

the moon landing, which is probably the most historic event other than what just happened yesterday in my lifetime.

I don't think teachers should promote their own political views, but I think they should encourage the study of any/all political views (age appropriately, of course, and if it's relevant to the class curriculum - as it would be in History, for example, which I guess is now called Social Studies).

Schools would be nuts to refuse the opportunity for children to view - which one could also describe as "participate" in this historic event... whether they provide the media to do it or if that isn't possible, send letters home saying students can view/participate at home without negative consequences or being considered absent.

The whole issue of being and feeling part of this, and that so many young people are integral in it already is SO important for younger children to feel and experience and "get" if Obama's vision is to truly endure. Prohibiting this for any reason is ridiculous and I'd question any educator who wanted to do so.

[NYC_SKP]

14. I'd have pulled my child out of school for it, then raise holy hell.

Since it sounds like these parents didn't find out far enough in advance to effectively advocate for the idea that ALL students be allowed to watch it.

Shame on these schools not only for not honoring the event, but also for being so rigid.

But a parent cannot expect to solve the problem over the phone on the same day of the event, if that's what happened.

[cags]

15. My daughters North Texas 4th grade class watched the entire thing

[Catshrink]

16. At our school, it was up to the teacher.

But from what my students told me, they all watched it. My sub delayed handing out the assignment while Obama was saying the oath of office and during the speech. My district is heavily Republican but all but a few of the kids were interested. They seemed to sense the historical significance and heck, they got out of working for a while.

I took a personal day since I knew I would be a blubbering mess and unable to teach.

[doc03]

17. I remember watching the Kennedy Inauguration,

countless space launches and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the NY Yankees in the 1960 World Series.

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. I so remember how I loved my third grade teacher because she let us watch the World Series

The games were during the day back then and she brought in a TV and let us watch them.

[doc03]

33. I remember our whole class of about thirty would

watch a black and white TV about 19". Our home town hero Bill Mazeroski hit the winning home run in the 1960 Series.

[justabob]

18. absolutely.... yes

There were some districts around here (Dallas/Ft Worth) that said early on that they would not be showing the event, but under pressure from parents, had to show it. I can't believe that parents have to fight to have their children see an inauguration, especially this one. School kids should be exposed to things like elections, inaugurations, etc regardless of party/person. What happened to civics? Citizenship is more than just being born (or naturalized) imo. Kids need to learn about government and their role in it and in society. Parents are responsible for a lot of that, but you really should never have to pull your child from school for something like watching an inauguration.

[undeterred]

19. My best history lessons happened when teachers acknowledged history.

When JFK was shot I was on my way back to school after going home for lunch. I heard from other kids that something had happened, but when we went back to class (second grade) my teacher told us. She brought an old radio into the room and turned it on to the news. She said "Children, this afternoon is history". And she wept. There wasn't much to say, but we "got" that this was a watershed event.

They didn't send us home or deny what was going on. And at 7 we were not too young to understand.

When the Watergate/Richard Nixon scandal was going on I was in a high school social studies summer school class. We watched the hearings and discussed it. This was infinitely more interesting than the usual format and I am so glad the teachers decided to do this.

The inauguration is less than an hour, once every 4 years. Why on earth wouldn't schools include this, unless for political reasons.

[david13]

23. If it's a history

class. But if it's some other class, no, study your topic. Stick to your topic.
I never watched any inauguration when I was a kid in school, but when I received my advanced degree in history, I ended up knowing far more than anyone who just watched tv anyway. Because I studied.
dc

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. So a Math teacher should ignore history?

Should a History teacher ignore Math?

[undeterred]

36. So if JFK wasn't assassinated on a day we were

supposed to study history, my teacher should have ignored it? Real teachers are always open to teaching opportunities.

[kwassa]

22. Our schools had the day off for the Inauguration.

Of course, we are just north of DC. All the school districts in the DC metro area were closed.

[proud2BlibKansan]

26. I heard that and was so jealous

[GreenPartyVoter]

29. My kids' school walked to the town hall and watched it there. :^)

[vadawg]

31. different perspective

my wife pulled my little guy out of school as they were showing the inauguration and parts of the parade as a teaching lesson. She took him and his sister for ice cream (Brrrrr) and then made snow angels.

[VPStoltz]

32. I am a teacher and we were discouraged from streaming it.

However, it was suggested we maybe use one laptop through a projector.
Well, the connection in my district is so pathetic only the audio would come through.
Tech services said the building was cabled, but it was hooked up in only ONE room.
That they didn't provide a way to view it was a huge complaint among the staff.
The district to the south of mine allowed students to view it only with parental permission!

[proud2BlibKansan]

39. Where are you?

My district is 80% African American and our supt encouraged us to not only watch it but to plan events for the kids on Tuesday. My principal is a republican and she wasn't too happy but she went along with the request and didn't discourage us from watching.

[VPStoltz]

45. A little south of Seattle

[laundry_queen]

34. Unreal.

My 11 year old's class, here in CANADA tried to watch it but couldn't livestream it very well so they listened to it on the radio. I'm totally stunned that not every single student in the U.S. was watching - of course they should have been! Unfreakingbelievable.

[proud2BlibKansan]

40. Streaming was hard

I had CNN on and it froze up. So we had to go to the classroom next door and watch. Their stream worked better than mine.

[cherish44]

35. I remember having to watch every mind numbing minute of Reagan's in 1981

I was in 8th grade... of course the Iran hostages were released that day too (Oh hail St. Ronnie! Of course we learned the whole truth about it much later) I grew up not far from him childhood hometown... they still have groups that meet for weekly Reagan circle jerks. That being said, my daughter said they got to listen to the inauguration (she's 7th grade) I watched it on streaming video at work and was extra irritating to my GOP coworker who was in an extra foul mood. "This is just giving me CHILLS!" I said. I wasn't lying it was...Scowls, sneers and sour grapes all around hehe. I loved rubbing it in a little didn't you?

[proud2BlibKansan]

41. My principal is a repuke

I bought a huge package of USA pins and passed them out to the kids all over the school. I took one to her in the office and she said "Oh no, don't make me WEAR anything today"

I wanted to slap her. Two of my kids were standing there! And she knew they both just LOVE Obama. In fact, I hand picked them to help me pass out the pins.

And after 9/11 she was all gung ho USA and I wanted to puke.

[AZBlue]

37. I think schools should always have kids watch it, no matter which party is being sworn in.

Actually, I think it should be a national holiday so EVERYONE can see it, but we can start with all schools and move from there.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

38. When I was in fifth grade, we watched JFK's inauguration on TV in class

When I was in sixth grade (at a different school) the fourth through sixth graders were brought into the school auditorium to watch John Glenn's space flight (the first orbital flight by an American astronaut).

[proud2BlibKansan]

43. We are the same age!

We were out of school the day JFK was killed. It was parent teacher conferences. As a teacher, I look back on that and am so glad. I can't imagine being with my students and watching the president die on TV.

On 911 we were asked not to turn on our TVs. I disagreed that day but looking back I am glad. Some things are better for kids to do with their families.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

42. My son told me that they were going to show it in the auditiorium of his old high school.

He went there to pick up his transcripts.

We were then at his new college when we saw it being shown on a big screen at registration. When President Obama finished his oath, everyone there (and it was crowded), cheered!

[ejpoeta]

44. I don't think my daughter saw it in school. i did find it odd when i asked if they were discussing

it in school. she said they weren't talking about it. though, they are only learning about the history of our state right now. i don't think it really fit into the curriculum. my daughter is in 4th grade. i would hope the older kids were at least talking about it.