What’s the controversy? I bet no k-12 students are politically aware, let alone partisan. They say their pledges in the morning, salute to the flag, and sing national anthem with all their hearts. They are patriotic. They all knew that the president is the leader of the country. They are eager to follow.
The president’s addresses were rarely controversial. They were all inspirational, similar to commencement speeches, and focused on the positive attitudes toward life. President Obama was not exceptional:
But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life — what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’ve got going on at home — none of that is an excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude in school. That’s no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. There is no excuse for not trying.
The controversy, it seems, is on the person himself. People objected to his speech even before they knew the contents. “Indoctrination!” they shouted.
The true reason for the objection is to weaken Mr. Obama’s public support. This is a nation run on leadership, charisma, or even charm. Mr. Obama has used his popularity as a main weapon to win battles. His opponents knew that and would do anything to abate it.
Plain old politics.