when i was in the second grade they announced on the intercom that our president JFK had been shot and died. now we have people complaining that our president wants to talk to our kids and that its wrong. these people are way out of line and i think what obama did is right and hope he keeps it up.

Firm, straight-foward, and intelligible. Something all schools should share to all students... perfect for universities.

-Li (Stanford Class of 2013)

I think all those people that did not want their kids to see Obama's speech completely overreacted. They were obviously not his supporters to begin with considering they would think he would deliver anything but a positive speech. So sad that our President can't even deliver a stay in school speech without his opponents causing drama. It's getting old already. George Bush gave a speech to students and no one freaked out about that.

I liked President Obama's speach to the School children. This not only pretains to children but for everyone.

I just listened to our Presidents speach live and am impressed at his message. I heard all the scuttlebutt about what people THOUGHT he was going to say--use it as a personal agenda to promote his ideas on health care etc., I NEVER believed this was what this speech would entail. I am pleased to see it was what I did think it would be: a motivational plea for each child to be responsible for their own education. The best point: teachers and parents can only teach you so much--you must learn it. You must do the work. How true that kids believe they can slink by and become rich and successful doing nothing. Hard work is the backbone of this country and I am proud of this Presidents recognition of it. I am saddened that so many lost the opportunity to have a real discussion about this in their schools. Im just glad I saw it and can be proud of this leaders words.

I think Obama's speech was a great idea. After all, not only is he the first President that is not a from the status quo of a white male, but he is a man who raised himself up by his own bootstraps from the working class background that he was raised in to become the leader of the free world. Parents who object to having their kids watch the President's speech are over reacting and are teaching their children to be paranoid of government leaders' objectives. As Erv said, I was in school when JFK was assassinated. In fact our teacher had brought in a TV for us to watch the motorcade, so we actually seen the assassination. It was a tragic time in our history, but I'm very grateful to my teacher to bringing in the TV so we could see the President. Obama's speech was inspiring and I believe it will reach so many of our young people who think that their efforts in school have no bearing upon life. If one student comes out of school and accomplishes great things (finding the cure for cancer, ending world hunger, etc.), the speech was worth it.

President Obama talked to kids hearts and told them how they can succeed in life. He probably made a big difference today in a lot of lives and I applaud him! I hope the majority of schools allowed this speech to be shown to the students. He is a president that really cares about the people and the country.

I don't understand how anyone, of any political persuasion, could object to the message President Obama sent to the nation's school students today. To not let students here the Presidents speech is denying them one of the best messages they will ever receive from a strong father figure. It is especially important for minority group youth to here his message.

I am a retired teacher and principal and I loved the President's speech. My favorite part was where he said, "If you get a poor grade in a subject it's not because you're stupid, it's because you need to study more."
Right on!

Much of the content is exactly what I have been telling my son for years. It's nice to have the Presidents speech to back me up. Not only is it encouraging for my preteen but to me as well. I go back to college at the age of 35 in two weeks.

I don't have any problem with it. Every student needs to do well in school and more importantly stay in school also.

I just can't tolerate any hidden message in a seemingly ordinary speech. Just like a wolf in a band of sheeps... President Obama did just that!

Such a low manuever for his political interest.

I don't think that you should have the president give a speach while wearing a mask.
Where are the horns and pitch forks?

This was a fine speech and I'm glad he took the time to do it. It consisted solely of straightforward, intelligent, and practical advice from the president.

WOW! HOW UNPATRIOTIC you boycotters of our Presidents speech! WOW! BTY..we are no longer the top leader in the world..Good Going America! :-(

Great speech,it was perfect. It motivated the students to achieve their dreams. "Work hard,do well, you are the future of America."

I wonder if the sobbing parents are either Nixonian Dirty Tricksters reincarnate or gravely misguided. It seems to me there was no more danger in President Obama's speech than with Bush's visit to kindergarten on 9/11. Do these parents really believe their children don’t hear our President elsewhere, or are so weak such that his positive apolitical words, in person, would readily cause conversion to some detrimental school of thought? It seems as though these parents need to work on themselves as is evidenced by their own behavior as well as their obvious lack of confidence in their own children, whether founded or not. But if founded, I’d then have to wonder what philosophical and political influences these parents have been subjecting their children to. Perhaps these parents would do well, themselves, to attend one of the President's talks.

And what's with these schools not airing it live? At the very least, there should have been a permission-slip system which would have allowed viewing by the majority, where the minority not getting permission could have gone to the school library or some such during the brief event. This was a fine opportunity for children to share in a live event together at school, where afterwards they could have discussed it with each other. The idea that the fear created by a few would be cause to have this sharing opportunity stolen from all seems unfair to say the least.

You know every kid out there needs a great father figure! And with so many of our kids that have no father this was great for them! what other president took the time to insteal good advise into our kids? The people that have a problem with this sucks. Sorry thats just being real!!!!

The President's speech, athough very inspiring and encouraging was wonderful, however his speech and the instructions afterwards, were altered from his original text because of the dissent from concerned parents who do not trust him. He is an expert at manipulation as we have previously experienced and not always truthful regarding his motives as exemplified by those czars he has advising him. He wants to transform this country and we must always be watchful how he will use our innocent children now and in the future.

The President's speech, although very inspiring and encouraging to the children was wonderful, however, the speech and the instructions afterward were altered because of the dissent from concerned parents who do not trust him. He is an expert at manipulation as we have previously experienced and not always truthful regarding his motives as exemplified by those czars he has advising him. We wants to transform our country and we must always be watchful how he will use our innocent children now and in the future.

Jackie - Don't worry. He won't use our innocent children the way Michael Jackson did. I hope not...

I used to have some respect for Republicans, but after this latest attack on the Presidents message to students, has removed any goodwill I had left in me, for them.

The message was strong, straight-forward, truthful and heartfelt.. It has raised my opinion of him only higher.

Good job

This is called the 'hot dog' stunt in Hong Kong.

Well, Mr. Obama did his rehearsal speech @ Tacoma school. After all the students greeted him loud and clearly, he asked one of his bodyguards what "Waz up, dog?" meant?

Sad day for the GOP. Your credibility is SHOT. I thought it was shot when you said we needed to go to war for WMD, or when you selected Sarah Palin, but those were too serious of issues. Nope, you needed something completely rude, selfish, and inconsequential to prove to the American people that you aren't in it for them. Just for your own agenda. To govern the masses you must respect the people, not just your base.

If I were a in the GOP I would be standing up and screaming for sanity in my party, before there is no party...

It's summed up in two simple words... ignorant racism

As a parent of a teenager that is sometimes
distracted by things that get in the way
of reading and studying, I appreciated the
president's speech. I am becoming increasingly disturbed by reactions of some people to Obama's
agenda. It's as if the Republicans are using
people's fears and the inevitable racial prejudice
that still must exist in this country to motivate
people toward this sort of uninformed commentary.

Health care in this country needs to be reformed
and the president should continue his important
message to school children in our nation.

Way to go Obama - I certainly hope he has the
strength to keep up his work amidst this
insane bantor.

Seriously - a woman sobbing because her children
would be exposed to 16 minutes of the presidents
speech at school- who is she kidding -she's
a racist!

I have lost respect for the Republican Party
and many in this country over the past
few weeks.

Wow... To think that there are really parents out there that would oppose a message to their children that they should stay in school and be the very best they can be is so sad. I truly hope that my own children never end up coming across any of THOSE parents, or their children for that matter... They just might try to get my own kids to drop out and be the worst they can be! Thanks for the awesome message Obama!

How are our children going to learn to respect their school, respect themselves, respect others then take pride in all of that when their parents and politians can't even let the President give a stay in school speach without a lot of hubbub. Much to do about nothing.

Again, people react and are to sensetive about our leader trying to motivate our youth and show the country that the president cares about the youth of today and tomorrow.

The president trys to show the youth of today that they can succeed and will be the future of our country and people react as if he was announcing some disaster. I'm disgusted with the way my fellow americans are reacting. I've served through many prestidents and heard a lot of things and really he is not out of line or wrong in anything he said.

Racism is at the core of teachers, parents, people who have a problem with the President's speech. A Black President telling white students how to excel. Unheard of! All the people fake-crying about the speech were white folk until they drummed up this Uncle Tom principal in Claremont, North Carolina to say he wasn't allowing his students to watch it. They didn't know any more about the speech than Jackie who said the speech was "changed". The students who missed this great experience are the real losers.

what's wrong with these parents & even teachers? complaining the President giving out a speech to the kids, telling them to work hard, set a goal, keep it up, for themselves, for their families, for their country, make themselves proud, make their families proud, make USA be one of the strongest countries again. Isn't it propriate enough on the first day of school?
Why don't those parents complain the teacher's strike? Teachers ignore the court order and keep on strike in Kent district, what are these teachers wanna say to the kids? we can break the law to bring the justice? or just because the classroom has extra 4 kids and they don't have enough chairs, so they have to be on strike for 4 chairs???
Please, do good for kids, before it's too late.

This is absolutely ridiculous. Why oh why should the President not be allowed to address our nations youngsters? I mean really? How many schools across this nation have been eponymously labeled with a Presidential name? How silly is it and how non-patriotic is it for a school board to prevent this from occurring? All for irrational fear of the president using this as a political platform. This is the USA and our President should be allowed to address our children whenever the opportunity should present itself. It is almost as if half of the US thinks the President is gonna pull a Kim Jong-il. Wake up America.

Obama said what Bill Cosby said a couple of years ago - but Obama was a little nicer about it. Wonderful speech.

Come on Roxanne! Lifted himself up by his boot straps? If so, where did he get the boots to go to Ivy League schools? Why is there silence on all the years from his attending Muslim schools until he suddenly popped up in Chicago politics? I think he has been hand groomed from early years by the corrupt Chicago political machine. I do not like him because of his color. He could be red, white, blue green or brown. Does not make a difference. I just do not like his politics. End of story. All of the fuss about his speaking to school children is because of his track record. People just do not trust him with their children's minds. Example: What about all the czars that he has put into leadership and authority positions without congressional approval, bypassing the consitution.
Now, can I say anything positive about the president? Oh yeah. He is doing just what he told the people of this country that he was going to do if elected. He has kept his word. This is what worries me. The day after the election, I told our secretary, "set down, cinch up your seat belt, hold on, it is going to be one hell of a ride".

this iss wonderrrrfull(:

I personally think that the speech was right. I am a high school student and i agree with everything Obama had to say. This was a encouraging and interesting thing to read/listen to. i dont know why anyone wouldnt want to have their kids just hear this from the president. all he is doing is backing us up and preparing us for the new school year.