“Messiah” Obama Book Required Reading in California Schools
January 14, 2009
Good Sense Politics has an excellent post regarding a book required by Los Lomitos school district.
go here to read.
Entry Filed under: Children's Books, Marriage is the Heart of Society, Obama, politics. Tags: Barack Obama, california, child of hope, los lomitos school district, Obama, required reading, schools, son of promise.
1.
Euripides | January 14, 2009 at 5:47 am
Bleh. No wonder kids can’t read by the time they leave high school.
2.
rubyeliot | January 14, 2009 at 6:14 am
i’m laughing out loud euripides.
3.
Pearl | January 14, 2009 at 6:33 am
Wa ah ahahahha! Me too. So funny.
4.
jesurgislac | January 14, 2009 at 10:06 am
No defense of the book, which sounds pretty awful frankly – part of the American tradition of worshipping the President* – but I just checked out the school’s website, and as this book is not listed among their textbooks, I am sure that the story claiming it’s “mandatory” has got it wrong.
*After all, even after 8 years of catastrophic failure, Bush still has something like 29% approval rates. [Editor's note: This doesn't sound like worshipping to me]
5.
journalista chronicle | January 14, 2009 at 10:49 am
Wow….. this is insane.
6.
rubyeliot | January 14, 2009 at 7:37 pm
J.slac, if you read the article, it’s specific required reading for the inauguration. It wouldn’t be listed on the website.
We don’t worship the president in the united states of america. that is the point. of the post.
7.
rubyeliot | January 15, 2009 at 7:11 am
j.slac, you may want to go over to this site and read the update. You could call the principal to confirm the story yourself. (long distance from england
obama book update
8.
Jesurgislac | January 15, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Oh, it’s required reading for the inaugeration? Well, why not?
Again: not attempting to defend that book in particular, which looks pretty dire, but it seems reasonable enough that a school can assign required reading for a major event. The inaugeration happens only once every 4 years, and this is an elementary school, so presumably many of the children remember no other President than Bush: plus, Barack Obama is not only a new President, but the first black President in US history. It’s a big event.
Absent direct evidence from the school that they don’t permit substituted reading (seems reasonable that they should require the students to read a book about Barack Obama, if they’re doing a special Inaguration Day study) I’d assume this is one of those classically muddled stories which claims a school has “mandated” reading a specific book when nothing of the kind has occurred.
9.
Jesurgislac | January 15, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Oh, I did go over the site to check the update, and I was right: the school has not “mandated reading” of this book, they’ve simply bought a copy for every classroom.
10.
rubyeliot | January 15, 2009 at 11:52 pm
The books were purchased so that one could be read in every classroom.
From the update:
” I checked it out from the library and read it, then went and spoke with Mr Ackerman with my concerns, he respectfully disagreed and told me he purchased this book (one for each grade level) to be read in every class (at Oak Knoll at least).
“
The problem here is not that a school is reading material that correlates with a national event. The problem is that the chosen book is really weird/awkward.
The fact that any principal would think this book is suitable reading material is sort of hilarious. (and sad.0
11.
rubyeliot | January 15, 2009 at 11:52 pm
The books were purchased so that one could be read in every classroom.
From the update:
” I checked it out from the library and read it, then went and spoke with Mr Ackerman with my concerns, he respectfully disagreed and told me he purchased this book (one for each grade level) to be read in every class (at Oak Knoll at least).
“
The problem here is not that a school is reading material that correlates with a national event. The problem is that the chosen book is really weird/awkward.
The fact that any principal would think this book is suitable reading material is sort of hilarious. (and sad.)
12.
Pearl | January 16, 2009 at 7:11 am
Oh, I did go over the site to check the update, and I was right: the school has not “mandated reading” of this book, they’ve simply bought a copy for every classroom.
Oh, ha ha. Sure. So they purchased one book for each classroom…to sit on a shelf and look pretty. Right.
13.
jesurgislac | January 16, 2009 at 12:43 pm
The books were purchased so that one could be read in every classroom.
Yes. “Could be read”. Not must be read. Not mandatory, in other words.
The problem is that the chosen book is really weird/awkward.
Actually, while not defending this particular book, I think the problem that the mother in question has is that it’s very, very pro-Obama.
Given that there is no direct evidence beyond an interview with one anti-Obama parent what the school actually plans to do on inauguration day, I think y’all are getting pretty worked up over not much.
Pearl: Oh, ha ha. Sure. So they purchased one book for each classroom…to sit on a shelf and look pretty. Right.
Are you asserting that, in your experience of gradeschoolers, they will not read any book unless it is made compulsory? For some gradeschool kids, maybe.
14.
rubyeliot | January 16, 2009 at 8:24 pm
J.slac, you are picking at unimportant details in order to defend the decision (or something, what is your point?).
The school ordered the books so that they could be read in every classroom. Just because the principal isn’t checking up on every class–is not important. Also, it’s very diplomatic for the principal to say, “Oh I just got a copy for every class.” Just the fact that the book was purchased for every classroom is disturbing.
The book they chose is not just pro-Obama, it’s blatant propaganda where Obama is presented as being a Christ figure. This is something that should be troubling to anyone regardless of their political party. It’s disturbing. I’d actually like to know what you think about a book that uses blatant Christ-images in promoting the presidency of Obama.
What do you think J.Slac? (it’s okay if you think it’s not a big deal, but do not detract from the conversation with minor details which do not justify the principal’s decision).
15.
jesurgislac | January 16, 2009 at 11:07 pm
The school ordered the books so that they could be read in every classroom.
But the story claimed this book had been made mandatory. And, as I noted, that part was just wrong. Making books available to be read, is kind of different from requiring that they shall be read. In fact, there’s all the difference in the world…
it’s blatant propaganda where Obama is presented as being a Christ figure.
Actually, according to a critical review on Amazon, it appears there is something of that flavor to it – nothing direct, just a ‘”Lion King/Messiah/Star Wars/Chosen One” kind of vibe’ says the reviewer.
On the whole, I suspect the writer and the publishing house – the book was published before Nov 4th – just took a big gamble on putting out a book before it was sensible, and has reaped the reward of being, currently, the only aimed-at-elementary-school-kids biography of Barack Obama on the market, and is reaping the reward of schools wanting to “do something” for Inauguration Day. Seems harmless enough.
The key point, to me, is that despite what the fearmongering post you linked to claimed, the school has not made the book mandatory.
16.
rubyeliot | January 17, 2009 at 12:12 am
The post I link to says that the book “be read in every classroom as part of a mandatory curriculum in celebration of President-Elect Obama.”
The curriculum is mandatory, the book was provided for every classroom as part of that instruction.
If you want to point out that it was not technically “required” just “provided,” that is legitimate, but it does not downplay the fact that the school chose a book with an agenda (thank you for the amazon link).
However, any teacher who chooses to read the book in her classroom is “requiring” her students to read it. Usually children don’t get to raise their hand and say: Teacher, this book represents Obama in a propagandist way…can I please not participate?
We do not know if parents were told about the book. We don’t know how the parents found out. The original post’s purpose was to let parents know about the book so that other parents can inquire. It’s not fear-mongering. I don’t know where the fear comes in. It’s a ridiculous book. It shouldn’t be used.
J.slac, the book was mandatory for any child in that class whose parents did not know about its existence in the curriculum.
17.
jesurgislac | January 17, 2009 at 1:35 pm
The post I link to says that the book “be read in every classroom as part of a mandatory curriculum in celebration of President-Elect Obama.”
The curriculum is mandatory, not the book. Sorry.
18.
SoCal momma | January 22, 2009 at 4:11 am
*GAG* – we have 4 more years left with Nobama the Tyrant. I bet the author fluffed all of these events in Nobama’s life in order to hype the book and the President. We only have ONE Messiah, and his name is Jesus Christ. Any other person claiming to be the Messiah is nothing but a false prophet.
On the news yesterday, I heard people crying saying the Nobama’s delivered the people from the bondage of slavery. He’s the Savior. The new Moses. What I really hope is that people who voted for Nobama, picked him because he is the most technically qualified for the job (though I and many others would disagree!)…but I get the feeling that many people voted him in because of his celebrity appeal and because of the barriers he broke. I am all for affirmative action, but Nobama as the Messiah…..sounds more like the peacemaker Revelation warns us about!
Don’t get me wrong – I am not a bigot. I am a female, HIspanic…but I don’t expect special privileges because of my culture. Secondly, I don’t have an entitlement to life’s pleasure’s just because my ancestors were forced to work as indentured servents cleaning homes and working in fast food joints.
19.
rubyeliot | January 22, 2009 at 5:22 am
socal,
the prayer at the inauguration was really concerning also…why are we still judging people by their color?