Teach your children well: An alternate lesson plan

So President Obama spoke to school children at the start of the new School year.

Well, good for him. The speech seemed innocent enough, but what most people were upset about was not the speech (which they only first saw yesterday) but to the lesson plan that teachers were to follow, (which didn't quite line up with what he actually said today) and to the "I Pledge" video that featured Hollywood stars pledging their support to things like not flushing the toilet and their service to the President.

Reagan spoke to a classroom; so did George H. W. Bush. In fact, when Bush, Sr. spoke, the Democrats ordered congressional hearings to get to the bottom of the $27,000 it cost to do so. There is nothing wrong with the leader of the free world addressing students and asking them to "Be Cool, Stay in School".

But this, as someone has said, can be a teachable moment. The real speech you should let your children hear will come Wednesday night, when the President addresses a joint session of Congress, the first non-State of the Union type speech since 9/11.

Let your kids hear what the President has to say, then discuss it with them.

Might I even suggest a few topics for discussion as well:

Explain how it's morally wrong to forcefully take from one group of people to give it to another, no matter your how good your intentions.

Give them a story problem! Little Suzy came to school one day and forgot her lunch money. Without it, she will not be able to eat and will go hungry the rest of the day. Which of these answers is the best way to handle the situation:

1) The Teacher forces your friend Mary to give up her lunch because Mary's mom and dad have a bigger house, better job, a bigger car and can afford to make Mary a real lunch. Her dinner will probably be better than Suzy's dinner so in the end its O.K.

2) All of the students take a vote and decide that Bobby should give up $1.00 of his lunch money because Bobby always brings $1.00 more each day for the cafeteria and it's not fair.

3) Suzy beats up Bobby on the playground and takes his lunch money.

4) The teacher asks each student to make a donation to help Suzy out.

5) The principle decides that all students, even those that bring their own lunches, must buy from the school cafeteria, that way the school can make sure all the students get the same lunch.

Ask them to write a book report on a 1,000 page novel they never read. If your child objects that you can't really know about the book unless you read it, explain to them this is exactly what Congressmen do with 1,000 page bills.

At anytime during the speech, if your child disagrees with anything the President says, call them a racist. Explain that is how political discourse is handled these days.

And when its all over with, ask them to write letters to themselves how they can pledge their service to the President Country.