Why The Furor Over Obama's Education Speech?

President Obama wants to make a speech next week to school children explaining the importance of studying hard and staying in school.
Apparently, people think this is a bad idea.
According to the Associated Press, "Some conservative critics say Obama is trying to promote a political agenda and overstepping his bounds, taking the federal government too far into public school business.
Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, a potential presidential contender in 2012, said Obamaás speech is "uninvited" and that the president's move raises questions of content and motive.
Many school districts have decided not to show Obama's speech, to be delivered at 12 noon EDT Tuesday, partly in response to concerns from parents. "
At the risk of sounding like Lewis Black or Denis Leary, what are you, high?
Since when is it a bad thing for a president to set goals for the nation's children? Are studying and staying in school bad things? Is there a Republican or Democratic way to educate kids? Do we want kids dropping out of school and being lazy sacks of crap?
I understand the debate over religion in school and the separation of church and state. I don't necessarily think that means there should be no religion in schools, but I don't think kids should be preached at in the middle of math class. I don't think the school day should open with prayer, but if kids do it on their own, fine.
Back to Tuesday's presidential speech.
For years, the United States has slipped in the world rankings when it comes to school testing. Some parents do a wonderful job instilling education as a worthy value in their children. Some kids would be successful regardless of the decade they're in school - they're self-motivated to do well, put in the effort to be educated and set high goals when it comes to their education.
Other parents, however, do not. They can't get their kids to go to school and, when they do, they're not exactly applying themselves. They might stay eligible for school sports, but they're not preparing themselves for much. With manufacturing jobs fleeing the United States faster than I'm losing hair, what's left for those kids? You used to make a fine life for yourself working in retail, but those jobs are drying up, too, and the pay isn't what it used to be (coming from the son of a 30-year grocery store employee, trust me, the pay's taking a serious hit).
Kids need to apply themselves in school. There isn't a safety net of blue-collar work anymore. Education really has taken on a life of its own. And, while something has to be done to make college more affordable, there is little excuse for kids not to be prepared for some sort of life after high school.
I'm disappointed past presidents haven't done this, and that includes President Reagan and President Clinton, who I thought were good presidents. Frankly, I applaud President Obama for trying to inspire kids.
It worked for President Kennedy in 1961 with his challenge to put a man on the moon - it didn't take long for math and science to take on more priority. It was cool to be smart in school. It was cool to give a crap about your grades and to take your books home. It was cool to say you want to be an engineer.
Now, not so much. You're a nerd or a dweeb. And, as a country, we're getting dumber.
We're the coolest dipshits on the block.
It's time to change.