Continued: Editorial: What is Obama flap teaching our kids?

The president of the United States would like to address the nation's schoolchildren next week on the importance of education. Seems straightforward. Why would any parent, teacher or school administrator not welcome a pep talk from the president? It would seem especially fitting in an era of tight school resources, rising dropout rates and a more competitive global economy. This president's unique ability to inspire young people and students of color ought to make his message all the more valuable.

But just seven months into the Obama presidency, nothing is simple. The political lesson some seem intent on teaching our kids today is rooted in what appears to be a growing lack of respect for the office of the president. How very sad.

It ought to give Americans pause about the toll of excessive partisanship when the president is faulted for planning to urge the nation's schoolchildren to learn their lessons. On Tuesday, the first day of school for many Americans, the president's brief address should be a valuable reminder that students serve their country as well as themselves when they succeed academically. That message deserves a top-level spokesman.

"As far as I am concerned, this is not civics education -- it gives the appearance of creating a cult of personality,'' Oklahoma state Sen. Steve Russell told the Associated Press. "This is something you'd expect to see in North Korea or in Saddam Hussein's Iraq.'' Give Russell credit: He did not use the word "socialism.'' He left that to the Republican Party of Florida, which said Obama planned to "use taxpayer dollars to indoctrinate America's children to his socialist agenda."

To be sure, Department of Education officials went too far in initially encouraging students to write letters about "what they could do to help the president.'' And it's also legitimate to point out that Democrats wrongly attacked President George H.W. Bush for speaking directly to students in 1991, although the controversy was not nearly as inflamed as the 2009 version.

In Minnesota, the head of Education Minnesota, the teachers' union, felt compelled to call a news conference Thursday to urge school officials to allow the president's message to be shown to students. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Association of School Administrators sent out a less-than-enthusiastic recommendation that schools not disrupt normal activities for the speech but record it and consider using it in classrooms at a later time or date if it passes muster as apolitical and parents don't object.

"The [Obama] message is supposed to be about studying hard, to have high aspirations and to be good students,'' the association's executive director, Charlie Kyte, wrote in an e-mail to members. "In a simpler, and less contentious, time this would be a very welcome message. But we live in both a time of instant communications and a deeply divided nation in terms of political values.''

Reached Friday, Kyte said he was pleased to learn that the White House planned to release the text of the speech on Monday, which will give administrators a chance to review the content. We agree. Administrators should review the speech and decide how it can be used to encourage students. The controversy it has engendered is also grist for lessons about freedom of speech in a democratic society.

One other thing about this teachable moment: Those who would deny the president a chance to urge schoolkids to study ought to consider what their criticism is telling students about the price of political leadership in today's America. If a president is lambasted even for asking kids to study, why would any child want to grow up to hold that office?