I Believe the Children are Our Future

For some reason there has been some hubbub over the President’s speech to America’s children today. I don’t understand it. Is this how it’s going to be anytime anyone dares to do something new? Never in all my years of education can I recall a president addressing me or my peers…but how can it hurt? It’s not like he’s going to be talking about healthcare and shoving some type of AGENDA down the throats of America’s little ones. He’s basically telling them to get their stuff straight and make the best of the opportunity given them.

Here here Mr. President!

I mean have you talked to a young person lately? Lord, please help us! As much information available to them for their reading consumption, a lot of these kids are lacking! Well, as Rum Punch can attest, a lot of these kids can’t read to begin with. And so there is a lot wrong with education and parenting and our communities as a whole, which we all know and talk about. After all back in our day there was money for music and art programs in our schools, we did what our parents told us, and we wanted to help old ladies cross the streets with groceries. But alas… that was then.

During the election I chuckled in my soul as Mr. Obama spoke of hope and change because I wasn’t a believer. As a Christian I think hope and change are great and exist, but could one man change the World? Um, yes, but was it this man? Um, no. In my mind it was going to take more than hope to change the political system that runs the democratic republic government of the United States of America. But one of the most positive things about Obama’s election was the shift in the psyches’ of the children. There are children who are being born who will only know a multi-racial President and that means something in a nation that is no longer just Black and White. And it means something to tell a room of multi hue children that they can be anything they aspire to be and to finally mean it…because the Presidency is possible.

And I am a little excited by the President’s speech today! I like that addressing the youth of my country is important to him. I don’t think children will instantly straighten up and do right because he gave an “It’s Cool to stay in School” message. But so often the youth are cast aside and made to feel like they don’t matter…when in reality they are the ones who will take care of us when we are no longer able.

Of all the high schools in the DC Metropolitan area, I am glad the President is speaking at Wakefield High School. I don’t know why that high school was chosen but I do know that from outward appearances it’s not the best school compared to the schools found on the North side of Arlington County. The children of immigrant and low income families attend Wakefield, and though it’s not a Lean On Me type of place, it would be just as easy to write the students who attend there off. But I know that good things can come from any place, even places that need a new coat of paint and better landscaping. And so today I sit in my cubicle swelling with pride because the first multi-racial President will be addressing America’s children from Wakefield High School…the school I graduated from! I couldn’t hope for anything better! Go Warriors!

See You In Seven