Trust youth to think

We recently encountered groups where the subject of President Obama’s school message was the point of conversation. In one setting, folks were up in arms about parents being upset that our president wanted to tell kids: “You’re the future. Stay in school.” One smiled politely – opposing it – yet said nothing.

In another setting, one gentleman laughed about schools buckling under pressure to NOT show it, stating: “That man will not put any of his propaganda into my child’s head!”

Schools gave families an opportunity to “opt out.” C’mon, really? Let the kids watch and determine if they find any value in the message. Let it be a conversation piece at dinner. While you may not like our president, what good is done by teaching them to disregard and disrespect him simply because YOU don’t like him? I wonder … had your candidate won, would you have the same tantrum?

This was a positive message about education, why it’s important and that it’s not always easy. That even with the economic woes, broken families, etc., the kids, our youth, can still achieve something great by taking their studies seriously.

Let the kids learn to formulate their own opinions and ideas.

Kathleen Minnerly

Spokane