posted at 8:24 pm on September 2, 2009 by Allahpundit
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I’m guessing this won’t lead to any changes of heart among those fearful enough of Hopenchange brainwashing to pull their kid out of school next Thursday, but it does take a key talking point away from them.
As one of the preparatory materials for teachers provided by the Department of Education, students had been asked to, “Write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president. “
Today, after Republicans accused the White House of trying to indoctrinate school children with liberal propaganda the White House and the Department of Education changed the section to now read, “Write letters to themselves about how they can achieve their short‐term and long‐term education goals.”
“We changed it to clarify the language so the intent is clear,” said White House Spokesman Tommy Vietor…
“As the father of four children, I am absolutely appalled that taxpayer dollars are being used to spread President Obama’s socialist ideology,” Jim Greer, Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida said, “The idea that school children across our nation will be forced to watch the President justify his plans for government-run health care, banks, and automobile companies, increasing taxes on those who create jobs, and racking up more debt than any other President, is not only infuriating, but goes against beliefs of the majority of Americans, while bypassing American parents through an invasive abuse of power.”
The Department of Education though did not “force” – as Greer claims – schools to do anything. Schools districts across the country have the option to choose if they show the President’s address to their students…
“The goal of the speech and the lesson plans is to challenge students to work hard in school, to not drop out and to meet short-term goals like behaving in class, doing their homework and goals that parents and teachers alike can agree are noble,” a White House spokesman tells ABC News, “This isn’t a policy speech. This is a speech designed to encourage kids to stay in school.”
In defense of The One’s critics , this isn’t the first time Team Barry has “inartfully” phrased something in a way that suggests an agenda vastly more ambitious than they claim to have. Remember during the transition when his website insisted that national service would be “required” of students before an outcry led them to delete it? Or the terms of use on the Cash for Clunkers website that seemed to imply dealers would be ceding control over their computers to the feds? Obama’s administration seems not to understand just how deep the suspicion about liberals’ statist aims runs on the right (and increasingly in the center) or else they’d police their rhetoric more closely for little mishaps like this.
And needless to say, swearing a personal oath of service to Obama isn’t as unthinkable as it might seem. Skip ahead to 3:55 of this left-wing classic and watch Demi follow the Leader.
