Critical thinking not encouraged about talk

Something bothers me about the president's Tuesday speech to students and what the White House provided teachers to use. It seems they are geared toward making kids believe the thoughts he presents are the only true, right way in which to think.

However, nothing in the “teaching resource materials” says anything about trying to reason why something is being put forward, or to apply any critical or analytical thinking to question the validity of anything the president says.

The lesson I see here is this: Obama speaks: It's all good.

I'd like to see student resource materials that give the other side, and cover what our Founding Fathers meant by “a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.” One that explains that in America we are all free to try improve ourselves and our lot in life - not that the government will provide it for us, just that the government will keep us safe and the playing field level.

Our government was never meant to take over private industry, specify who runs it, “rescue” anyone from their misguided greed and bad business decisions, nor let the elected elite and friends get away with cheating on taxes.

Our voices will only really be heard with our votes on Election Day.

Jack Seward Jr.

West Chester