Barack Obama's planned address to students K-12 this Tuesday has caused a national debate.  Many schools are choosing not to show the message.  Many parents plan to keep their children home from school that day.  Many on the other side are saying that this is just one more example that conservatives would not accept Barack Obama no matter what he does.

All reactions have some justification.  For example, those who choose to keep their kids home that day are rightly worried that the president's power grab on much of the economy will extend to the classroom.  Also of concern is the creepy lesson plan of "how can I help the president?"  Those who support the president wonder why his message that they should stay in school and work hard is causing such an uproar. 

Of course, the message of staying in school is a good one, assuming that an education is gained (this is debatable but will be discussed further at another time, as it is not the point of the article).  I personally am skeptical that conservatives are opposed to this particular part of the message.  When the president behaves in such an unprecedented way by appearing on television at all hours, declaring that we should fundamentally change America, it is understandable that people will be just a bit uneasy about the man addressing their children.

However, my message to these parents is that you should not be surprised that you are having to deal with this issue.  You have chosen to send your kids to a government-run school.  Why would any aspect of public schools be any different from public anything else?  Why, in trusting government to educate your kids would you complain about a message from the head of government?  My purpose is not to criticize these parents, because this outcry is evidence that they only want what is best for their kids.  My purpose is to point out that if they genuinely want an education for their children instead of sending them off to a glorified baby-sitting service they need to be more proactive instead of relying on government to do it for them; the same government that they so ardently claim cannot do anything right.  There are other options available.  Almost all of them ask you to hand over more money than does a public school.  But that doesn't mean it costs you more.