Teacher World

I am sure by now you have seen the YouTube video of elementary students from New Jersey singing their praises to Barack Obama. When I first saw it on Fox News, I was appalled. But after reading the background information behind the video, I became outraged both as a teacher and a parent. What was this teacher thinking when she decided that her interests were more important than those of her students’ and parents’? And what about the principal who allowed this misuse of power? Let me break the issues down for you, nonpolitically, and try to explain why this was wrong.

First, as a teacher, one of my primary obligations is to protect the rights and freedoms of my students. To intentionally infringe upon those rights and freedoms would be criminal. This teacher did exactly that. These were young children who have no idea what Obama is doing as their president. Some of them probably didn’t even know who the president was. If this teacher had simply taught them a song about who their president is and what he does, I would have no issue with what transpired. But to teach them a song to praise a man they have formed no personal opinion of yet because of their age is, frankly, brainwashing. And it robbed them of their freedom to draw their own conclusions about the world around them.

Second, as teachers, we have a huge responsibility not to use our position of influence for our own agendas. Young children in particular look up to their teachers and love them. They have child-like faith that what we ask them to do is in their best interests, and it should be. This teacher took advantage of the faith her students had in her and filled those young people’s minds with her own feelings for her president. How many of those students would have even considered singing praises to their president if she had not manipulated them to do so? Whose agenda was met here? These students were used at the expense of their teacher, and that is inexcusable!

Third, as teachers, our job is to teach our students about government and the people who play a role in government. We should teach them to respect their leaders as people who make important decisions which we may not always agree with. This means that we also teach them to be active in their government and speak out when they disagree with policies and decisions that are made. In all of my years of teaching social studies, I have never taught my students to idolize their president or anyone else in government. I have never taught poems or songs or read stories that make any of these people out to be anything other than what they are or were: real people who accomplished real things. When we cross over into songs of praise, our message is no longer pure. It becomes a form of worship, which is totally misguided. This song crossed over the line from respect to worship. Is this what we want our teachers teaching our kids? I hope, to my God, not.

Politics aside, this should disturb us all, and we must speak up on behalf of our children. Speak up here, and tell us what you think.

Teacher-World's Blog freedom, New Jersey school, Obama's song, student rights