Students React to President's Speech
By: Mario Boone
Updated: September 10, 2009
At Texas High School in Texarkana students and administrators listened intently to President Barack Obama's nationally televised speech to school kids. Before the first word in the speech was ever heard a huge controversy erupted over whether students should be subjected to it. Conservatives feared an attempt by President Obama to indoctrinate kids across America with liberal propaganda.
When all the dust settled the speech turned out to be nothing more than a motivational message encouraging kids to stay in school and listen to adults. Several 11th graders at Texas High responded positively to the message. Perri Rodgers says she doesn't "see what the big deal is. He's the President of the United States." Other students said the President merely reiterated what they already hear from parents and teachers.
Principal Paul Norton said only a handful of parents opted to pull their kids out of classes where the speech was shown. Norton also said he believes the controversy was more about a misunderstanding of what the actual content of the speech was.
When all the dust settled the speech turned out to be nothing more than a motivational message encouraging kids to stay in school and listen to adults. Several 11th graders at Texas High responded positively to the message. Perri Rodgers says she doesn't "see what the big deal is. He's the President of the United States." Other students said the President merely reiterated what they already hear from parents and teachers.
Principal Paul Norton said only a handful of parents opted to pull their kids out of classes where the speech was shown. Norton also said he believes the controversy was more about a misunderstanding of what the actual content of the speech was.
