09/18/2009:
"I work in an urban school; it is helpful to our children to understand that
the President of the United States cares enough for them and their future to
want to see more help in the schools for them. Some parents are so busy
trying to make an honest living until they allow their responsibility to
their children school to slide to the back burner. Our president has the
right to request all children to understand that the future of our country
depends on them doing their best in school. They will someday fulfill the
United States’ need to keep our country a leading component in the future.
I trust the integrity of one of the most esteemed universities in the United
States that prepared our President to be intellectual enough to lead us. The
image of Harvard is being threatened because people in our country will not
accept their decision that our President earned his higher education degree
and is qualified to help others who does not have that background. Smaller
thinking people can only see the color of his skin; in theirs minds they
cannot understand how a man of his background can recognize theories,
projections and life experiences to lead our country and all its people
toward success. We need to roll up our sleeves, help our children and the
community to do all we can do for a future we all deserve. Now, is not the
time to show how intimidate some can be when their abilities do not match
this President of the United States
"
09/2/2009:
"I am so confused! I no longer have a child in the school system, but when
I did I volunteered many, many hours and loved every minute of it(as did
all other parents, both men and women, that I enjoyed working with)! So,
how does this compute that I did it without the recommendation of the
present 'father in chief?' Father in chief???? (Say What?!!!!)"
08/27/2009:
"No, parents are not answering any call from Mr. Obama. They are answering
the call of their children's well being. It's sad and pathetic that some
are so quick to label others as 'haters' for their opinionated views
simply because they disagree. What 'churns' my stomach is the author of
this article attempting to glorify an unqualified, unverified, social
actavist radical Chicago thug who is attempting to 'change' our country to
conform to his ultra-liberal socialist views. We as parents had better be
involved with our children's education to ensure they are educated and not
indoctrinated."
08/19/2009:
"I think it is more of an urge to help make changes in our school systems.
I know I have been pushing for 4 years to be involved beyond fund raising.
There seems to be a sense of urgency with education in our state. Obama
has nothing to do with it."
08/19/2009:
"All the hatred spewing (and bad spelling) from these 'wonderful' parents,
makes my stomach churn."
08/19/2009:
"unfortunately this is the reality, there are lots of haters out there"
08/18/2009:
"I don't know about other parents, but my desire to volunteer has
absolutely nothing to do with Obama. I volunteer at my children's school
because I love them and want to be involved in their lives. I don't think
that Obama is affecting the actions of individuals much, beyond the
visible frustration, anger, and fear that we see all around the country
right now."
08/18/2009:
"OK,to ALL that think this is a CONSERVATIVE issue, sorry you need to
re-read. This is ABOUT OUR KIDS, and the voleenter issue. I am getting so
tired of the way people have been looking at issues and giving the ones
that make comments a name 'like conservative, Republican, racist, mob..'
Sounds like kindigarders calling names..so lets call it for what it really
is...Teachers are the greatest asset that we have, I use to work FULL
TIME, I might not of gotten involved during the school hours, but I did go
to meetings that concerned the school issues, and I am sorry, but for the
TEACHER that thinks parents think you are babysitters, you want to know
something? YOU SPEND (and are PAID) for 8 hrs a day,(and then some when
they arnt in school), You see these kids more than a parent does and you
have a responsiblity just as parents that work do to teach these kids. I
WORK with the inner-city kids, and BELEIVE ME it ISNT always the PARENTS
FAULT that KIDS SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS!!
BUT whom ever said the OBAMA was the FATHER and CHEIF is realy out of
touch with THE PEOPLE..IT is very true that he probaly doesnt see his kids
as often as our parents see theres, but it is true his kids do more
RUNNING AROUND THE GLOBE than ours do...and as a PARENT,we DO LISTEN to
OUR KIDS!! I personaly DONT NEED SOMEONE TO TELL ME TO GET
INVOLVED..ESPECIALY ONE THAT DOESNT LISTEN TO ANYONE BUT THEMSELFS! BY THE
WAY, THIS ISNT HATE THIS IS REALITY!!"
08/18/2009:
"parents, this writer was taking this from the USTODAY, regarding a poll of
black parents voleentering more than white..EXCUSE ME!! WITH THE ECONOMY
as it is, there is more time to do it..but dont use us as a follow-up for
the media that DOESNT KNOW HOW TO TELL THE TRUTH AS IT IS!! GOOD-BYE TO
GREAT SCHOOLS, you are one of them.."
08/18/2009:
"Forget the PATHETIC references to Father-in-Chief. There is a reason that
his initials are 'B.O.'. Based on the many comments already posted, which
I agree with, our job, as parents, is to teach and support our children
in their educational pursuits, as well as their humanity. By volunteering,
we show them that we are there for them and displaying that we are better
and stonger for helping others, not expecting others to do for us as Obama
supporters belive is their 'right'. My wife and I volunteer as much as we
can. Nothing to do do with the O. It is right and prudent. The current
administration will nuture generations of 'woe is me', 'that's not fair',
and 'what's in it for me' attitudes if we allow it to stay on it's
current path. Our country is founded on principles that Obama and his
followers are indeed 'clueless' about. When things get tough, our heritage
is full of stories of how we, as AMERICANS, regardless of race, cultural
heritage or economic position, rally to!
right the ship. To even presume that BO has anything to so with this
uptick in volunteerism is preposterous."
08/14/2009:
"Lots of hatred here."
08/14/2009:
"Obama is not my 'father in chief'. I help out in my sons class and on the
PTSO because I care about my childs education. You can not rely solely
upon the teacher. It is a parents responsibility to make sure their kids
are getting a proper education. Doing their homework with them is a great
way to see how they are doing. It is so important to be involved and know
what is going on at the school. It sure makes you child feel special and
also know that school matters cause it matters to you."
08/14/2009:
"parents should have always been involved in their children's schooling and
volunteering in the classroom. To get back to doing that seems natural,
not at the urging of one man."
08/13/2009:
"Really? To the parent who works full time and badmouths the parents who
do not, you need a major time out and wake up call. First of all, I am an
educated professional who has made the CHOICE to work part time (outside
the home) in order to avail myself to family. I know you will relate to
this when I say that I am our family's CFO (Chief Operating Officer).
Parents who have to work full time because they do not have a
partner/spouse to help out financially, it is understandable that they can
not volunteer during their work hours. However, this does not make them
exempt from contributing their time. Volunteering can be done before and
after work hours, at evening school events or simply taking some time to
grade papers at home for your child's teacher. You have made a serious
assumption that 'stay at home' moms have nothing better to do with their
time or to suggest that they are less valued than someone who has a 'real
job'. You are wrong. I am not only an educated pr!
ofessional myself, but I have worked alongside many parent volunteers who
are highly educated and professionals themselves. Have you personally
experienced staying home full time with your children? You do have
children, right?
Having worked worked both full time outside the home and now part time out
and full time in, I would say, hands down, my current situation is
incredibly more difficult and challenging. I clean my own home, make the
meals, run all errands, organize our family's social calendar, handle the
bills, volunteer at school and church and care for my children. These are
just a FEW of the things I must do with all that 'spare time' in my life.
"
08/13/2009:
"This is no new concept, volunteering in the classroom. I have done so for
more than 20 years and alongside countless numbers of other parents. There
is always a 'core' group of parents who do pretty much everything because
there is a much bigger core of parents who have no desire to volunteer or
fear assimilation into our culture. Why all this 'hail to Obama' stuff
when parents have already been volunteering in great numbers for years?
Charter schools are are on the rise and they usually require parents to
volunteer a minimal number of hours each month (i.e. my daughter's school
requires a 10 hour minimum/month). Maybe this accounts for the 'rise' in
parent volunteers? Or perhaps it's because so many parents are out of
work. hummm... "
08/13/2009:
"To the working mom admonishing me for not working, staying home to care
for my children is harder than working outside the home. I could work
outside the home and pay someone else to care for them but I have a son
with autism and he needs me to advocate for him which requires lots of
time getting him the help that the public school should do but does not do
for him.
I had a very lucrative career but the government isn't supposed to take
care of my children for me. Living in a Republic requires responsibility,
you may think that having a job and drawing a check is taking care of your
responsibility by paying someone else to care for your children, which you
may feel 'entitled' to tell those of us who choose to stay at home and
volunteer in our communities without pay, that we're just sitting home
eating bons bons and watching t.v. I dare you to spend a month in my
shoes and then tell me I DON'T WORK!!!!
By the way, most of us that stay at home and volunteer are middle class
Americans and in my community, lower middle class families are very
involved and choose to be stay at moms that choose to be with their
children."
08/12/2009:
"I cannot believe that you have politicized this publication.. shame..and
did you really say 'father in chief'. Shame again.. many of us have
volunteered all of our lives in schools and charities.. how dare you give
O the credit.. especially where none is due.. Great Schools has been well
received in this household but no more."
08/12/2009:
"I take offense to the reference of 'father in chief' to President Obama.
He is my President not my father nor my children's father. While he is a
father of two adorable girls that doesn't make him any different than any
of the previous fathers that have occupied the White House.
I am an avid volunteer in my children's schools and I also mentor a child
in my daughter's elementary school."
08/12/2009:
"You're kidding, right? Mr. Obama has absolutely nothing to do with the
fact that I volunteer at my kids' schools. I guess I shouldn't be
surprised that he's getting credit for yet something else that he has
hasn't done. I volunteer because I love the kids and are concerned about
their futures...which is more than I can say about the president!!! And
why bring the race card into it once again!!"
08/12/2009:
"The Joker-In-Chief has NOTHING to do with our involvement in our 3 sons
Roman Catholic education . We are involved because we CARE & we trust our
Parish schools to continue to educated our kids to the level that blows by
the state SAT & ACT scores PLUS have the kids a solid foundation in
morals, ethics & compassion for others. Giving Globama any credit for an
increase in volunteering is absurd ! btw - I am sure my e-mail address
wil be forwarded to the Orwellian thought police OUR White House ! "
08/12/2009:
"I, too, have volunteered for years and will continue to do so because I
think it sets a good example. Hopefully, our illustrious President won't
MANDATE we volunteer.... "
08/12/2009:
"Pleeeeze! Studies have shown that there are ebbs and flows when it comes
to volunteerism within any given time frame. Obama's calling for
volunteerism and ensuing higher numbers of volunteers can be directly
attributed to more people having more time because of job losses. It is a
sorry tribute to a President who had promised more jobs and in effect,
because of his policies, unemployment is now at a 25 year high. Nice try!"
08/12/2009:
"Maybe more parents are volunteering in schools because they lost jobs in
this economy."
08/12/2009:
"I have been extremely involved in my daughter's humanistic charter school,
where parent participation is highly prized, since well before the time
Obama came to office. My observation from this experience is that no
matter how much all parties prize participation in theory, it is extremely
hard to make it happen in practice. Teachers need to take the lead and
help parents understand what is going on in the classroom and help parents
feel welcome. From what I've seen, teachers don't learn these skills in
school and don't have the first idea how intimidated parents feel. For
their part, I see teachers who don't want to 'bother' parents. I see
desire for parent involvement on all sides but, unfortunately, I don't see
a meeting of the minds on how to make this happen. Maybe one upside of
Obama's attention to volunteerism will be to help organizations with a
need (like schools) learn how to make their organizations approachable to
the people who want to support, but don't k!
now where to start."
08/12/2009:
"Americans have been giving time and moeny to everyone around the world
including the poor for nearly 250 years.
Americans are the most generours people with their time and money that any
other people in the world way before 'The One' came along.
It is insulting that 'The One' thinks that it is responsibility to tell
Americans what to do with their time and money.
I have two elementary school children and all I do is write checks for the
school constantly and any free time I have I am helping the school or my
children. Charity begins at home.
If my children are succesful later on in life because all the time we as
parent spend with them and volunterring at their schools...that we hope
will translate to adults depending on themselves and not the goverment.
Sorry, but 'The One' should have pick up a local paper or two during his
adult life and probably would have found out how generous his own people
the Americans are with their time and money to their friends, neighbors,
schools, churches and the rest of the world.
No news here...
Mr. Obama
"
08/12/2009:
"Ok, I think we have many conservatives here. I'm a teacher and I see that
parents thing that school is a daycare. Its up to teachers and to learn
from us. Most of them never come to school to see how Johnny is doing. If
they do well those are the kids are doing great in school . The ones we
need to come to school are the ones are doing bad. What can we do? I wish
I had the answer. Those parents' kids fall in the cracks and that is why
we have schools that are not doing well. I work in a very low economic
area. WE have good teachers but they leave for better areas and we have to
start again with traning new teachers. I have been teaching in this area
for 12 years and I just love the challenage. NOt too many are like me. So
I have seen it through my eyes."
08/12/2009:
"To make the CLAIM regarding this is OBAMAS idea, is outragouse. Parents
HAVE been doing it as long as I can remember. I have 1 kids one 29 and
another 14. I dont voleenter but I do get involved, in other ways. I have
seen plenty of parents getting involved especialy in elementry yrs. WHEN
the schools start listening to OBAMA and NOT the parents then watch all
the problems get WORSE."
08/12/2009:
"Father in Chief? Kinda like 'Uncle Joe Stalin'?
Good Lord."
08/12/2009:
"I take great offense to the reference of my President as
'father-in-chief'. Barak Obama is my President and a father of two
adorable girls and he isn't the first man in the White House to be a
father. President Barak isn't my father nor the father of my children.
His children do not see him as often as my children see their father and
their grandfather.
Politicians are rarely known to be great fathers. The last President I
know of to set time aside to play with his children daily while in the
White House is Theodore Roosevelt. President Kennedy allowed John and
Caroline to play in the Oval office but I don't know that he set aside
time for his children on his daily calendar. Politicians are gone a lot,
so don't set him on a pedastal to be revered as the great 'Daddy of all
time'.
I had no idea that the President had made a call to volunteer in the
public schools. I know he, like many of his predecessors, asked for
fellow citizens to volunteer in their communities.
I have been a volunteer and political advocate for my public schools for
many years, even before I had children. My children see me in their
schools and I also mentor a child in my daughter's elementary school. My
husband works and is home most evenings with his family.
As for volunteer numbers rising in the public schools -- I don't see that
many new faces at my children's schools but we have had large numbers of
parents volunteer in the 8 years my children have been attending school in
Oklahoma."
08/12/2009:
"Father in Chief? Like Uncle Joe Stalin?
Sorry, but I'm not inclined to take educational advice from a man who was
babied his whole life, and refuses to allow his academic records to be
released.
With higher taxes coming and thinner means to follow, you can expect
volunteerism to shrink, not grow. People will be busier than ever making
ends meet. As a volunteer myself in other arenas, I can tell you this:
between what people SAY they will do and actually WILL do is a great,
gaping chasm.
The volunteerism I do is in part to supplement the education that should
have been conducted already by the public schools, and hasn't been.
I support the good teachers out there, and there are many, but the
watered-down curricula and unrelenting leftist politics have poisoned the
well to the point where often, the only way to ensure one's child's
education is either to home school to some extent, or to remove him or her
entirely, and place them in a private school that is focused on
fundamentals and excellence.
"
