Obama’s Speech to Schools Stresses Student Success and Jobs Bill

posted by: Alix | September 29, 2011, 07:16 PM

On the heels of introducing another jobs package that includes billion for education, President Obama addressed the nation's students in a telecast yesterday from Benjamin Banneker Academic High School in Washington, D.C. While this is the third time President Obama has addressed students in a back-to-school speech, the motivational talk took a political turn in advocating for his billion-dollar proposals to hire more teachers and increase school infrastructure spending.

President Obama promised schoolchildren that he and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan are advocating for an "educational system that's worthy of your potential," in an inspirational speech about personal success that reached students coast to coast. While most of the rhetoric was nothing new and hardly controversial, President Obama did tell students he was trying to upgrade school buildings and increase the teacher workforce— two key elements of his proposed jobs bill.

"We're working to make sure that you have the most up-to-date schools with the latest tools for learning," Obama mentioned is his remarks. "And we're working to get the best teachers into the classroom as well, so they can help you prepare for college and a future career." Clearly, while the speech is meant to inspire the nation's children, the President was also interested in pushing his agenda.

The president's annual speech to students is billed as a nonpartisan address, and while he gave a nod to his base with a push toward his jobs package, the bulk of the speech stressed academic success and an appeal for students to work hard and continue on to college.

"I want all of you to set a goal to continue your education after you graduate," President Obama stressed. "And if that means college for you, just getting into college isn't enough. You also have to graduate.

The President also highlighted some of his personal experiences, recalling his own mediocre school days in describing a class he took in eighth grade where he was more interested in basketball than studying and his experience raising daughters in a digital age. "Issues that used to stay confined to hallways or locker rooms now find their way onto Facebook and Twitter," he said.

While President Obama did mention political hot-button issues, overall the yearly address is a great way to inspire students during back to school time.

Click here to watch the webcast.

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