Comments on: Open letter to Superintendent Bowers

By: John Blackmore

John Blackmore — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:06:53 +0000

Interesting that Superintendent Bowers has never responded personally or publicly to these concerns. Has anyone heard from her? Or does she not care to respond?

By: Charlie Naef

Charlie Naef — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:12:04 +0000

In the interest of full public disclosure, we are entitled to know the names of the individuals who asked Superintendent Bowers to excuse their own children or someone else’s children from listening to President Obama’s speech. His brief and eloquent remarks conveyed the message that I’m confident the school administration, the school board and the teachers want all students to hear and internalize.

Who are the students, if any, who opted not to listen to our President? We are entitled to know.

By: Sylvia Loop McSwain

Sylvia Loop McSwain — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:23:03 +0000

I was dismayed at Dr. Bowers’ decision to allow students to chose whether they listened to President Obama’s back-to-school speech. It was not a policy speech, nor was the President trying to indoctrinate the students to his political beliefs. His message was to encourage students to persist in school through goals, hard work and responsibility. What does the superintendent find wrong in that message? Having all students listen to the President’s speech allows for a subsequent lesson whereby students can discuss how they felt regarding Obama’s message. Also, what were the students who opted out of the speech doing instead? I totally agree with Ms. Welsh who wrote that Bowers is sending the message to students that they do not have to listen to anyone with whom they disagree, That could include all people in authority.

By: Sylvia Loop McSwain

Sylvia Loop McSwain — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:46:57 +0000

Dear Superintendent Bowers:

As a Hamilton taxpayer, former teacher and an alumna of Hamilton Central School, I am dismayed and disappointed in your decision to allow students to chose whether they listened to President Obama’s back-to-school speech. It was not a policy speech, nor was the President trying to indoctrinate the children to his political beliefs. His message was to encourage students to persist and succeed in school by working hard, setting educational goals and taking responsibility for their learning. Do you see anything wrong with that message? He was also not our first leader to try to inspire students, as both Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush gave back-to-school addresses.

Having all students listen to the President’s speech allows for a subsequent lesson whereby students can discuss how they felt regarding Mr. Obama’s message. I am also curious to know what the students who opted not to listen to our country’s leader’s speech were doing at the time.

I totally agree with Ms. Welsh when she wrote that you are sending the message to students that they do not have to listen to anyone with whom they might disagree. In my thinking that could include all people in authority, teachers and superintendents of schools.

Sincerely,
Sylvia Loop McSwain
September 14, 2009

By: Susan Tallman

Susan Tallman — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:41:19 +0000

Please don’t let this sad debacle be a prelude to a round of robust censorship of curriculum, library books etc.

You job, Dr. Bowers, is to help our students become good citizens and critical thinkers. To do that, they must be exposed to *lots* of ideas and opinions. We need thinkers, not sheep.

Susan T., Hamilton

By: David Berkey

David Berkey — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:01:01 +0000

Dr. Bowers:

I too am outraged over the decision not to let our kids hear a talk from our President. It is especially difficult for me to understand how you, with a Phd, would deny access to a talk which is all about supporting education. Was there some fear about our kids being “exposed” to this President?

Sincerely, sad and angry: Dave Berkey

By: Joanne Lloyd

Joanne Lloyd — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:05:45 +0000

Open letter to Superintendent Bowers,
Dear Mrs. Bowers:
I have read the letter submitted by Jane Welsh over and over and concluded that she hit it right on the head and I couldn’t write it in a better way. I am sick in my stomach when I hear people acting in a manner that in my opinion is not the American way. Turning his speech into a political ploy is totally unacceptable. I believe that racism is worse than ever in this country and it needs to stop. I thought that you want children to work very hard and do the best that they can do. I am pretty sure that you do want that and am sure that our president wants that too.
Sincerely, Joanne Lloyd