The Unnecessary Controversy

President Obama plans on addressing the nation's schoolchildren tomorrow morning. I know that there are many parents and schools who are not showing the televised address. There are many reasons for not showing the address, but the one I hear/read the most involves the thought that it is wrong for a president to address the kids. As if President Obama plans on indoctrinating the future generation with some kind of socialist regime.

As everyone can plainly see on the White House website, President Obama plans to speak specifically on the importance of education and the ability of every child to overcome his or her situation to choose (or change) his or her destiny. It is a speech that encourages the nation's kids to do their best in school so that they may have a better life than their parents may have had.

I think it is a tragedy that this will not be shown in some schools. I think it is a tragedy that individuals automatically think that the President will always foist his (or hopefully her!) own agenda on to everyone, even the nation's children. I think that it is so awesome that he even thought about addressing children. I would have loved to have had a special speech geared towards my classmates and me when I was in elementary school (or even the higher grades). He is reaching out to all people, young or old, voters or non-voters, in an effort to meet with each individual of this country at the individual's own level. President Obama campaigned using technology to reach and energize America's young adults into actually voting. We had the highest voter turnout among young people in a really long time.

It's kind of like Library 2.0. While I am not a fan of video games, I can see the usefulness of using video games in education and in the library (in order to attract young people to use their library). I understand that knowing and using technology will help me as a librarian to reach individuals wherever they are. It is all about accessibility. By using technology and reaching potential voters via text message and the like, President Obama seems accessible. (I'm aware that Secret Service would be all over anyone that got really close to President Obama.) Heck, I'd have a beer with him.

And I don't even drink beer.