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Michelle Obama asked not to attend High School commencement

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  • Michelle Obama asked not to attend High School commencement

    Source: High school senior forms petition with over ONE THOUSAND signatures against Michele Obama speaking at their high school graduation 'because it would overshadow the students' big day'


    • Taylor Gifford, 18, started an online petition on Thursday with over 1,200 signatures asking that Michelle Obama not speak at Topeka High School graduation

    • Obama's speech is tied to the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education outlawing segregation in schools

    • Some students feel that the speech would overshadow student accomplishments and others feel limited seating will be a problem



    If expanding the guest list to include Michelle Obama at graduation for high school students in the Kansas capital city means fewer seats for friends and family, some students and their parents would prefer the first lady not attend.

    A furor over what the Topeka school district considers an honor has erupted after plans were announced for Obama to address a combined graduation ceremony for five area high schools next month an 8,000-seat arena. For some, it was the prospect of a tight limit on the number of seats allotted to each graduate.

    For others, it was the notion that Obama's speech, tied to the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education outlawing segregation in schools, would overshadow the student's big day


    Source

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    Interesting and understandable reaction. And I would say the same thing regardless of the politician involved. Apparently there was already concern about limited seating and restricting how many people could attend but now far fewer will be able to do so with seats going to security and reporters. Perhaps the best solution would be for Michelle to give a recorded message.

    And I can understand the concern about the students big day being overshadowed by a speech about the anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education.

    Further, I heard this afternoon that the petition now has over 1700 signers.

    I'm always still in trouble again

    "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
    "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
    "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

  • #2
    I would sign it just by virtue of not being in the same room as Michelle Obama.

    Comment


    • #3
      The recorded message sounds like a sensible idea.
      "I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill

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      • #4
        Why'd they pick such a small arena?
        "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

        "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

        My Personal Blog

        My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Teallaura View Post
          Why'd they pick such a small arena?
          The Brown family was from Topeka and they were suing the Topeka school district. There were actually several families in the suit from different states, but the case was named after them because they came first alphabetically. There's now a federally operated museum at what used to be the school there.
          "I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by KingsGambit View Post
            The Brown family was from Topeka and they were suing the Topeka school district. There were actually several families in the suit from different states, but the case was named after them because they came first alphabetically. There's now a federally operated museum at what used to be the school there.

            O-kay.... And this museum still has an arena? If not, why not find a larger venue - surely Topeka has something bigger than that? Granted it's too late now but I'm curious as to what lead to choosing such a small space.
            "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

            "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

            My Personal Blog

            My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)

            Quill Sword

            Comment


            • #7
              Oh, you meant why that specific building? No idea. (And the museum isn't at that particular school; it's the one where the Brown girl attended.)
              "I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by KingsGambit View Post
                Oh, you meant why that specific building? No idea. (And the museum isn't at that particular school; it's the one where the Brown girl attended.)
                Yeah, that was it. Thanks anyhow.
                "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

                "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

                My Personal Blog

                My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)

                Quill Sword

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Teallaura View Post
                  O-kay.... And this museum still has an arena? If not, why not find a larger venue - surely Topeka has something bigger than that? Granted it's too late now but I'm curious as to what lead to choosing such a small space.
                  Yes there are larger stadiums in the area such as Yager Stadium at Washburn University (used to host the Kansas State High School Activities Association Class 6A state championship game) with a capacity of over 24,000. And Heartland Park (a racetrack) a couple miles south of the city with a capacity of 30,000. But I don't know about availability nor suitability.

                  I'm always still in trouble again

                  "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
                  "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
                  "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by rogue06 View Post
                    Yes there are larger stadiums in the area such as Yager Stadium at Washburn University (used to host the Kansas State High School Activities Association Class 6A state championship game) with a capacity of over 24,000. And Heartland Park (a racetrack) a couple miles south of the city with a capacity of 30,000. But I don't know about availability nor suitability.
                    It just seems an odd choice when you plan to have the First Lady and multiple high schools - maybe there was a good reason, maybe not. Seems a poor choice if no other factors are involved.
                    "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

                    "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

                    My Personal Blog

                    My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)

                    Quill Sword

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Teallaura View Post
                      It just seems an odd choice when you plan to have the First Lady and multiple high schools - maybe there was a good reason, maybe not. Seems a poor choice if no other factors are involved.
                      And even if they could have found a larger venue we still have the issue of politicians subverting these events and turning them into political pep rallies. This is supposed to be about the kids graduating not about a speech about school desegregation.

                      I'm always still in trouble again

                      "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
                      "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
                      "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by rogue06 View Post
                        And even if they could have found a larger venue we still have the issue of politicians subverting these events and turning them into political pep rallies. This is supposed to be about the kids graduating not about a speech about school desegregation.
                        Eh, I suspect it started as a nice way to commemorate the Brown decision - and got quickly out of hand. the concept has some merit but you're right, it shouldn't over-shadow the kid's big day.
                        "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

                        "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

                        My Personal Blog

                        My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)

                        Quill Sword

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I think combining all the high schools is a terrible idea. This would either make it impossible to call each kid's name as they walk the stage, or make the ceremony interminably long (and we know graduation ceremonies are long enough as it is). I think it's reasonable to let every kid have his moment in the sun. And this doesn't even touch on the security nightmare that having the First Lady would probably require.
                          "I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by KingsGambit View Post
                            I think combining all the high schools is a terrible idea. This would either make it impossible to call each kid's name as they walk the stage, or make the ceremony interminably long (and we know graduation ceremonies are long enough as it is). I think it's reasonable to let every kid have his moment in the sun. And this doesn't even touch on the security nightmare that having the First Lady would probably require.
                            It depends on how big the schools are - and if they thought 8000 seats was reasonable, the schools are likely pretty small.

                            But yeah, a graduating class of 500 would take forever...
                            "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

                            "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

                            My Personal Blog

                            My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)

                            Quill Sword

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Not that graduation means anything special to begin with, besides your initiation into a new world of mandatory student loan debt of several thousand dollars.

                              Merry Christmas.

                              Comment

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