Now I don't care who you are, this is scary. It smacks too much of totalitarian nations and their indoctrination. Re-education camps next?
Now if this is just an isolated incident by one stupid teacher or school, fine... but if not... wow...
Link to story: (Has links to video and text of lyrics)
http://www.foxnews.com/politic...ising-president-obama/
Elementary School Students Reportedly Taught Songs Praising President Obama
Nearly 20 young children are captured in an online video as they sing songs that overflow with campaign slogans and praise for "Barack Hussein Obama," as they repeatedly chant the president's name and celebrate his accomplishments.
FOXNews.com
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Updated story with parent reactions:
Parents of students at a New Jersey elementary school are up in arms after a class of young kids was videotaped being "brainwashed" into singing the praises of President Obama.
B. Bernice Young Elementary School was placed on lockdown Thursday after the school's principal received death threats over a YouTube video that showed nearly 20 children being taught songs lauding the president. Back to school night events appeared to be continuing as planned Thursday night at the school, but it was known whether Principal Denise King would attend.
Video of the students at the Burlington, N.J., school shows them singing songs overflowing with campaign slogans and praise for "Barack Hussein Obama," repeatedly chanting the president's name and celebrating his accomplishments, including his "great plans" to "make this country's economy No. 1 again."
One song that the children were taught quotes directly from the spiritual "Jesus Loves the Little Children," though Jesus' name is replaced with Obama's: "He said red, yellow, black or white/All are equal in his sight. Barack Hussein Obama."
Click here to see the video.
The video has set off families in Burlington who said they were horrified that their children at the Kindergarten through Second Grade school were being "indoctrinated" to view the president like a cult figure.
"I'm stunned -- I can't believe it's our school," said Jim Pronchik, who told FOXNews.com his 8-year-old son Jimmy was one of the 18 students in the video. "We don't want to praise this guy like he's a god or an idol or a king or anything like that. That's the wrong message to be sending."
Click here to see the full lyrics to both songs.
Pronchik said he and his wife were never informed about the lesson, which the superintendent of Burlington Township schools says was held in February as part of Black History Month "to honor the contributions of African Americans to our country."
Superintendent Christopher Manno said in a written statement Thursday that the taping itself was out of order, but failed to address whether the lesson was approved. "The recording and distribution of the class activity were unauthorized," he wrote in a note to parents and the media.
Other families arriving at Bernice Young Elementary to pick up their children said they were outraged at the songs, which also tout a fair-pay bill Obama signed in January: "He said we must be clear today/Equal work means equal pay."
"I felt this was reminiscent of 1930's Germany, and the indoctrination of children to worship their leader," said Robert Bowen, father of two children at Bernice Young Elementary.
"I thought that if this was a civics class in say high school or upper level middle school, in might be appropriate to discuss policies or politics, but as far as children in first grade, second grade -- those types of levels -- it's inappropriate to discuss how a president is changing the world after only six weeks in office."
Parents said the songs were performed in Elvira James' second grade class. James, who refused to comment to FOXNews.com, retired at the end of the previous school year on a full pension in New Jersey.
Bowen said he thought there should be consequences for having provided such a one-sided lesson to impressionable students there.
"It's something that there should be serious repercussions for ... the administration here, and I think the school board needs to be answerable to the parents of the community," said Bowen. School board members did not respond to requests for comment.
Though the school was not planning to address the tape during back-to-school-night events, many parents were heading in with with a lot of questions about the tape.
"This video is disturbing," said a grandparent named Sandy, who spoke on the condition that her last name not be included. "We don't teach politics in pre-school -- or kindergarten or first grade."
"This has no place in the classroom," said Sandy, added Sandy, who told FOXNews.com she has two grandchildren attending Bernice Young Elementary. "It may have been the opinion of one or two, and someone should pay the consequences for it."
The author of the songs is unknown, but a woman -- possibly a teacher -- can be heard in the beginning of the video correcting and helping a student who has forgotten the words. Another woman, the person holding the camera, cheers the students on: "All right," she says. "I like that."
"Alteredbeat," the YouTube user who posted the video on the Internet, told FOXNews.com that the video was first put online by Charisse Carney-Nunes, an activist and author of the children's book "I Am Barack Obama," which her Web site says "allows children to see themselves through the inspirational story of President Obama." Carney-Nunes has been promoting the book during visits to schools on the east coast.
A poster for the book can been seen near the stage of the auditorium in the video of Bernice Young Elementary, but it is unclear whether Carney-Nunes had visited the school or was present during the filming.
"Alteredbeat" told FOXNews.com that he reached out to Carney-Nunes, who insisted that the program had been filmed in June as part of a Father's Day tribute to President Obama. "The kids made up the songs on their own," she wrote, according to the YouTube user.
"Alteredbeat" originally posted the video Sept. 6, two days before Obama made an address to the nation's schoolchildren in which he praised the American education system as the best in the world and urged students to stay in school.
"At the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world," Obama said.
-----------------------------------------------------
Update:
N.J. Principal Unapologetic for Videotape of Kids Praising Obama, Parents Say
The principal of a New Jersey elementary school where young students were videotaped singing the praises of President Obama is making no apologies for the videotape and says she would allow the performance again if she could, according to parents who spoke with her Thursday night.
A yearbook photograph shows Dr. Denise King, right, prinicipal of B. Bernice Young Elementary School, attending the inauguration of President Obama on Jan. 20. (FOXNews.com)
The principal of a New Jersey elementary school where young students were videotaped singing the praises of President Obama is making no apologies for the videotape and says she would allow the performance again if she could, according to parents who spoke with her Thursday night.
Three parents told FOXNews.com that Dr. Denise King, principal of B. Bernice Young Elementary School in Burlington, N.J., defended the controversial performance, which was videotaped and posted on YouTube, when they approached her during a "Back to School" event.
Parent Jim Angelillo said King told him the lesson was merely part of Black History month, and not an attempt to indoctrinate students, as critics have charged. He said he believes teachers have the freedom to express their political views, but not in the classroom.
"Freedom of speech, not freedom to teach," Angelillo told FOXNews.com.
King has long been a fan of Obama, hanging pictures of the president in her school's hallways and touting her trip to his inauguration in the school yearbook.
Included in the full-page yearbook spread were Obama campaign slogans ("Yes we can! Yes we did!") and photos King took in Washington on Jan. 20, when she attended the inauguration.
There also were photos taken at the school depicting students doing Obama-themed activities about their "hopes for the future," featuring posters of Obama. According to the yearbook, students watched the inauguration in class.
Parents said Elvira James, the teacher of the class that was videotaped, also seemed to be promoting Obama.
"She praised him, she put pictures on the walls," said Jim Pronchick, whose 8-year-old son, Jimmy, was in James' class last year. "When he won (the election) they really went off."
Leslie Gibson, who has two children at the school, said she was "shocked" at the videotape, adding that political beliefs, like religious views, should be kept at home. She also said King made a "big deal" about her attendance at the inauguration.
"Throughout the school, there were signs posted supporting Barack Obama quite a bit," Gibson told FOXNews.com. "I understand it's a historical event, but on the same token, I like politics to be left at home and I think she should follow that as well."
Attempts to reach King on Friday were unsuccessful. A recording at the school said its mailbox was full and could not accept new messages.
A search of public records revealed that King, 46, of Cinnaminson, N.J., last voted in 2004 and had not declared any political affiliation. No records of political contributions could be found.
In November, the 9,700-plus residents of Burlington, N.J., a Philadelphia suburb, voted overwhelming for Obama, who received 3,285 votes to Sen. John McCain's 1,308.
The controversy over the YouTube video extended into northwest Arkansas on Friday, as officials at the Bernice Young Elementary School in Springdale said they had been received calls from across the country and Canada from irate parents and other individuals.
Principal Debbie Flora told the Associated Press that the callers claimed the school was teaching political opinion and that some "did not use very kind language."
http://www.foxnews.com/politic...-long-obama-supporter/
Now if this is just an isolated incident by one stupid teacher or school, fine... but if not... wow...
Link to story: (Has links to video and text of lyrics)
http://www.foxnews.com/politic...ising-president-obama/
Elementary School Students Reportedly Taught Songs Praising President Obama
Nearly 20 young children are captured in an online video as they sing songs that overflow with campaign slogans and praise for "Barack Hussein Obama," as they repeatedly chant the president's name and celebrate his accomplishments.
FOXNews.com
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Updated story with parent reactions:
Parents of students at a New Jersey elementary school are up in arms after a class of young kids was videotaped being "brainwashed" into singing the praises of President Obama.
B. Bernice Young Elementary School was placed on lockdown Thursday after the school's principal received death threats over a YouTube video that showed nearly 20 children being taught songs lauding the president. Back to school night events appeared to be continuing as planned Thursday night at the school, but it was known whether Principal Denise King would attend.
Video of the students at the Burlington, N.J., school shows them singing songs overflowing with campaign slogans and praise for "Barack Hussein Obama," repeatedly chanting the president's name and celebrating his accomplishments, including his "great plans" to "make this country's economy No. 1 again."
One song that the children were taught quotes directly from the spiritual "Jesus Loves the Little Children," though Jesus' name is replaced with Obama's: "He said red, yellow, black or white/All are equal in his sight. Barack Hussein Obama."
Click here to see the video.
The video has set off families in Burlington who said they were horrified that their children at the Kindergarten through Second Grade school were being "indoctrinated" to view the president like a cult figure.
"I'm stunned -- I can't believe it's our school," said Jim Pronchik, who told FOXNews.com his 8-year-old son Jimmy was one of the 18 students in the video. "We don't want to praise this guy like he's a god or an idol or a king or anything like that. That's the wrong message to be sending."
Click here to see the full lyrics to both songs.
Pronchik said he and his wife were never informed about the lesson, which the superintendent of Burlington Township schools says was held in February as part of Black History Month "to honor the contributions of African Americans to our country."
Superintendent Christopher Manno said in a written statement Thursday that the taping itself was out of order, but failed to address whether the lesson was approved. "The recording and distribution of the class activity were unauthorized," he wrote in a note to parents and the media.
Other families arriving at Bernice Young Elementary to pick up their children said they were outraged at the songs, which also tout a fair-pay bill Obama signed in January: "He said we must be clear today/Equal work means equal pay."
"I felt this was reminiscent of 1930's Germany, and the indoctrination of children to worship their leader," said Robert Bowen, father of two children at Bernice Young Elementary.
"I thought that if this was a civics class in say high school or upper level middle school, in might be appropriate to discuss policies or politics, but as far as children in first grade, second grade -- those types of levels -- it's inappropriate to discuss how a president is changing the world after only six weeks in office."
Parents said the songs were performed in Elvira James' second grade class. James, who refused to comment to FOXNews.com, retired at the end of the previous school year on a full pension in New Jersey.
Bowen said he thought there should be consequences for having provided such a one-sided lesson to impressionable students there.
"It's something that there should be serious repercussions for ... the administration here, and I think the school board needs to be answerable to the parents of the community," said Bowen. School board members did not respond to requests for comment.
Though the school was not planning to address the tape during back-to-school-night events, many parents were heading in with with a lot of questions about the tape.
"This video is disturbing," said a grandparent named Sandy, who spoke on the condition that her last name not be included. "We don't teach politics in pre-school -- or kindergarten or first grade."
"This has no place in the classroom," said Sandy, added Sandy, who told FOXNews.com she has two grandchildren attending Bernice Young Elementary. "It may have been the opinion of one or two, and someone should pay the consequences for it."
The author of the songs is unknown, but a woman -- possibly a teacher -- can be heard in the beginning of the video correcting and helping a student who has forgotten the words. Another woman, the person holding the camera, cheers the students on: "All right," she says. "I like that."
"Alteredbeat," the YouTube user who posted the video on the Internet, told FOXNews.com that the video was first put online by Charisse Carney-Nunes, an activist and author of the children's book "I Am Barack Obama," which her Web site says "allows children to see themselves through the inspirational story of President Obama." Carney-Nunes has been promoting the book during visits to schools on the east coast.
A poster for the book can been seen near the stage of the auditorium in the video of Bernice Young Elementary, but it is unclear whether Carney-Nunes had visited the school or was present during the filming.
"Alteredbeat" told FOXNews.com that he reached out to Carney-Nunes, who insisted that the program had been filmed in June as part of a Father's Day tribute to President Obama. "The kids made up the songs on their own," she wrote, according to the YouTube user.
"Alteredbeat" originally posted the video Sept. 6, two days before Obama made an address to the nation's schoolchildren in which he praised the American education system as the best in the world and urged students to stay in school.
"At the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world," Obama said.
-----------------------------------------------------
Update:
N.J. Principal Unapologetic for Videotape of Kids Praising Obama, Parents Say
The principal of a New Jersey elementary school where young students were videotaped singing the praises of President Obama is making no apologies for the videotape and says she would allow the performance again if she could, according to parents who spoke with her Thursday night.
A yearbook photograph shows Dr. Denise King, right, prinicipal of B. Bernice Young Elementary School, attending the inauguration of President Obama on Jan. 20. (FOXNews.com)
The principal of a New Jersey elementary school where young students were videotaped singing the praises of President Obama is making no apologies for the videotape and says she would allow the performance again if she could, according to parents who spoke with her Thursday night.
Three parents told FOXNews.com that Dr. Denise King, principal of B. Bernice Young Elementary School in Burlington, N.J., defended the controversial performance, which was videotaped and posted on YouTube, when they approached her during a "Back to School" event.
Parent Jim Angelillo said King told him the lesson was merely part of Black History month, and not an attempt to indoctrinate students, as critics have charged. He said he believes teachers have the freedom to express their political views, but not in the classroom.
"Freedom of speech, not freedom to teach," Angelillo told FOXNews.com.
King has long been a fan of Obama, hanging pictures of the president in her school's hallways and touting her trip to his inauguration in the school yearbook.
Included in the full-page yearbook spread were Obama campaign slogans ("Yes we can! Yes we did!") and photos King took in Washington on Jan. 20, when she attended the inauguration.
There also were photos taken at the school depicting students doing Obama-themed activities about their "hopes for the future," featuring posters of Obama. According to the yearbook, students watched the inauguration in class.
Parents said Elvira James, the teacher of the class that was videotaped, also seemed to be promoting Obama.
"She praised him, she put pictures on the walls," said Jim Pronchick, whose 8-year-old son, Jimmy, was in James' class last year. "When he won (the election) they really went off."
Leslie Gibson, who has two children at the school, said she was "shocked" at the videotape, adding that political beliefs, like religious views, should be kept at home. She also said King made a "big deal" about her attendance at the inauguration.
"Throughout the school, there were signs posted supporting Barack Obama quite a bit," Gibson told FOXNews.com. "I understand it's a historical event, but on the same token, I like politics to be left at home and I think she should follow that as well."
Attempts to reach King on Friday were unsuccessful. A recording at the school said its mailbox was full and could not accept new messages.
A search of public records revealed that King, 46, of Cinnaminson, N.J., last voted in 2004 and had not declared any political affiliation. No records of political contributions could be found.
In November, the 9,700-plus residents of Burlington, N.J., a Philadelphia suburb, voted overwhelming for Obama, who received 3,285 votes to Sen. John McCain's 1,308.
The controversy over the YouTube video extended into northwest Arkansas on Friday, as officials at the Bernice Young Elementary School in Springdale said they had been received calls from across the country and Canada from irate parents and other individuals.
Principal Debbie Flora told the Associated Press that the callers claimed the school was teaching political opinion and that some "did not use very kind language."
http://www.foxnews.com/politic...-long-obama-supporter/