# Obama's Address to Public Schools **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 3, 2009, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-address-to-public-schools/508755 "2009-09-03T16:10:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ZomZom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zomzom/32/5620_2.png) [@ZomZom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZomZom)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-address-to-public-schools/508755/1 "2009-09-03T16:10:17Z")
How is this going to be broadcast? TV, Internet, or something else? Is there some single network that reaches all public schools? ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-address-to-public-schools/508755/2 "2009-09-03T18:34:42Z")
> [@](#): > > Viewers may watch the address via the Internet by visiting the White House Web site, at [Live News – The White House](http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/), where the address will be streamed live. > > C-SPAN, the cable public affairs network, will cover the president’s speech live on its C-SPAN television channel and provide live streaming video online at [C-SPAN.org](http://C-SPAN.org). The speech also will be aired live on C-SPAN Radio (90.1 FM in Washington, D.C., and channel 132 on XM Satellite Radio). > > White House television will make the address available via satellite for access by local broadcast outlets and school districts. The satellite feed will be live for testing and calibration beginning at 11am ET on September 8th using the following coordinates: > > •Galaxy 28/Transponder 17, Slot C (9 MHz) > •Uplink Frequency 14344.5 Horizontal > •Downlink Frequency 12044.5 Vertical > For updates related to the president’s speech, please visit [http://www.whitehouse.gov/mediaresources/](http://www.whitehouse.gov/mediaresources/) or [www.ed.gov](http://www.ed.gov). From [here](http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/academic/bts.html). ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-address-to-public-schools/508755/3 "2009-09-03T18:46:44Z")
There is a channel called [Channel One](http://www.channelone.com/) which is broadcast via satellite to middle and high schools in the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-address-to-public-schools/508755/4 "2009-09-04T07:18:33Z")
Let me just say this: our school is offering parents the opportunity to shield their children from the President’s address. The fact that they feel the need to do this bothers me. He is the **President of the United States**. If Mr. Bush, who is no longer the President, felt the need to address the school children of America, I would have my children watch. As I will have them watch Mr. Obama. We will discuss it at home (I have children 3, 7, 8, 10, 21, 23, 25, 26, of whom 6 are still in school). Good, bad, or indifferent–these are the people who run our world! Dangit, our children need to know what they are thinking! IMHO, of course. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-address-to-public-schools/508755/5 "2009-09-04T11:25:21Z")
Has a President ever attempted to address all students at the same time like what I assume this effort is/was? ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-address-to-public-schools/508755/6 "2009-09-04T11:47:41Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > Has a President ever attempted to address all students at the same time like what I assume this effort is/was? [QUOTE=Nia-Malika Henderson for Politico] Obama isn’t the first president to be criticized this way. O’Neill recalled President George H. W. Bush made televised address to students in October 1991 as campaign season was heating up. A handful of Democrats denounced Bush’s address as pure politics. Bush asked students to “take control” of their education and to write him a letter about ways students could help him achieve his goals, strikingly similar to Obama’s messages. [/QUOTE] [http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/26744\_Page2.html#ixzz0Q8aZeug5](http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/26744_Page2.html#ixzz0Q8aZeug5) ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-address-to-public-schools/508755/7 "2009-09-04T13:40:46Z")
> [@NoCoolUserName](#): > > Let me just say this: our school is offering parents the opportunity to shield their children from the President’s address. The fact that they feel the need to do this bothers me. He is the **President of the United States**. If Mr. Bush, who is no longer the President, felt the need to address the school children of America, I would have my children watch. As I will have them watch Mr. Obama. We will discuss it at home (I have children 3, 7, 8, 10, 21, 23, 25, 26, of whom 6 are still in school). > > Good, bad, or indifferent–these are the people who run our world! Dangit, our children need to know what they are thinking! > > IMHO, of course. Hae you seen the video? It’'s almost Orwellian. We’re all created equal, some just more equal than others. OK, maybe not that bad, but “I pledge to serve the president?” I don’t think so. I pledge to serve America would have been OK. ---
**Author:** ![Drum\_God](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drum_god/32/44_2.png) [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-address-to-public-schools/508755/8 "2009-09-04T13:50:04Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > Hae you seen the video? > > It’'s almost Orwellian. We’re all created equal, some just more equal than others. OK, maybe not that bad, but “I pledge to serve the president?” I don’t think so. I pledge to serve America would have been OK. What video are you talking about? The speech hasn’t been given yet. Where is this video? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-address-to-public-schools/508755/9 "2009-09-04T15:52:56Z")
> [@NoCoolUserName](#): > > Let me just say this: our school is offering parents the opportunity to shield their children from the President’s address. The fact that they feel the need to do this bothers me. He is the **President of the United States**. If Mr. Bush, who is no longer the President, felt the need to address the school children of America, I would have my children watch. As I will have them watch Mr. Obama. We will discuss it at home (I have children 3, 7, 8, 10, 21, 23, 25, 26, of whom 6 are still in school). > > Good, bad, or indifferent–these are the people who run our world! Dangit, our children need to know what they are thinking! > > IMHO, of course. > [@Enright3](#): > > Hae you seen the video? > > It’'s almost Orwellian. We’re all created equal, some just more equal than others. OK, maybe not that bad, but “I pledge to serve the president?” I don’t think so. I pledge to serve America would have been OK. [Moderating] I’d like to remind everyone that this isn’t IMHO or GD. If you have commentary about the speech itself, that is best left to another forum. Especially if you have commentary about a speech that hasn’t been given yet. Since the factual answer to the OP was given in the second post, I am closing this thread. Those who wish to discuss political aspects of the speech are invited to do so in GD, IMHO, or the Pit, depending on your preference. Colibri General Questions Moderator