Lisa's thoughts about why every student should have been invited to Listen to President Obama's speech

What I appreciated about EMS: Calmness in the midst of the storm. Opportunity for the teachers to show the speech—trusting their decisions. Daniel saw it yesterday. There is a good, calm feeling in EMS and I trust the teachers and administrators there.

Why I am talking today: Moderates need to speak more. It’s too often the extremes that are vocal, but they do not represent the populus, they just are more vocal.

Why I believe all students should have been invited to listen to President Obama’s address to students:

1. Although I did not vote for Obama, he is our president, our leader. We have become a divided country and “No house divided against itself can stand.” We need to be an example of people who listen thus showing respect for others. It was not a political speech, but a motivational speech. But if the speech had political undertones, I would still feel the same.
2. There needs to be a resurgence of respect for authority. We have ample examples of disrespect for authority:
1. The Press and Congress towards President Bush then President Obama
2. Athletes
3. Students
4. Parents at sporting events towards refs
3. Open mindedness is vital for our country’s domestic and international future. When we agree with others, it’s easy to listen to them. What we must learn is to understand others who have different views/perspectives/beliefs. It’s powerful to seek for understanding of others and help others understand us in mature ways. Steven Covey’s first step to success is to, “Seek first to understand then to be understood.” This requires listening respectfully.
4. We want to be the example of believing in the students’ ability to listen, understand, and identify what they agree with and what they disagree with and then be able to talk about the issues in a calm, educated manner. The danger in the Middle East is the fact that generations have refused to understand the other side. That is happening in our country. By allowing fearful parents to deny most of the students an opportunity to listen to someone a few of the parents don’t agree with, we are following on the same path as the Arabs and Jews.
5. We want to find good in people who have different beliefs than we have: I’m a Mormon. I’ve been surprised and disappointed in how many people have been told falsehoods about my church. But what is most discouraging is that they are also told to not listen to Mormons because “Mormons are part of a cult.” This systemic concept—If I don’t agree with someone, I don’t want to listen to them or have my children listen to them—is very dangerous. I’ve always been taught to find truth everywhere I can and to respect that truth. This fear of understanding the other side underminds democracy.
6. In a divided country, we need to represent a powerful moderate, respectful front.
7. In a diverse global economy, we need to represent calmness and respect for others who are politcally very different than we are: China. If we cannot show respect to our president in our own country, how will we learn to show respect for leaders of other countries?
8. Relationships are more important than tasks—our president is more important than 20 minuntes of a lesson plan
9. We have a president who is worthy of great respect. Obama’s accomplishment as an individual are impressive! There is power in his example. Let’s be open to good in all people and be an example of that in the schools.