Portrait of the chairman?

[French G.]

Under the you can't make this stuff up heading:

Published: August 7, 2009

A member of the Charlottesville School Board is proposing that a framed picture of President Barack Obama be placed in all of the city’s public schools, as well as the division’s central office.

None of Juandiego Wade’s colleagues was quick to jump on board with his proposal at Thursday’s meeting, nor did any members dismiss it.

Wade insisted that if the proposal were approved, he’d raise the money for the pictures and frames — which he believes can be obtained for free or very little money — through a private fundraising campaign.

“It would be no cost to the school system,” Wade said after the meeting, noting that Obama is an inspirational figure to students and faculty.

Board Chairman Ned Michie echoed thenotion that, “there’s no question that he’s an inspiring [person],” adding, however, that if a picture were hung of Obama, the same honor would have to be given to future presidents.

School Board member Colette Blount shared the sentiment.

“I think it sets a precedent,” Blount said.

Having lived there I can only say nicely that C'ville, VA is such a unique place politically. The few other cultures that did a lot of this, I don't like them much. Of course I'm used to it, anywhere you go in the military you see a smiling face of your boss. I wish schoolkids can stay free to learn that the president isn't necessarily the boss of them.

[taurusowner]

I think this is a bad idea.  Pictures in a place of honor are meant to evoke certain ideas and feelings.  These are not the ideas and feelings we should want our school children to have.  When I have kids, I am going to rightly bring them up to think of the President and everyone below him in the government as their servant.  That was supposed to be the whole idea behind government service.  The whole picture or statue thing is too closely tied to the feeling that that person is your boss, like French said, not the other way around as it should be.  It works for the military because the President really is our boss, no matter how much I might despise this one.  But for civilians, the proper attitude should always be that the President works for us.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

There was a pic of the current Prez at each of my schools, and most of the previous Prezes too.  Nobody seemed to think that was odd. 

[RoadKingLarry]

^^^
What he said.
As much as I don't like Obama and as much as I oppose pretty much everything he stands for he is still the President of The United States and until his real birth certificate surfaces he is entitled to the common and customary respect and courtesies due his office.
Posting the picture of the current President was common in most of the schools I went to. It has also been common for the Presidents official protrait to be posted in all federal government buildings. 

[Regolith]

There was a pic of the current Prez at each of my schools, and most of the previous Prezes too.  Nobody seemed the think that was odd. 

Same here.


Though they had ALL of the previous presidents up on the same wall, all the way back to Washington.  That doesn't sound like what he's proposing.

[French G.]

My issues are: It's not currently done in the mentioned system, the proposal is an outward sign of inward Obama slobbery love on the part of the council member.

Schools are not federal buildings.

I had all the presidents on the wall in my school. In the history and government room, where they belong.

Too much like the Stalin, Mao, Kim Il in every home thing. Then again maybe it is me. I also dislike the pledge of allegiance in public school too because the kids say it by rote, not caring to understand what it means or decide if they agree with it. That and the fact that the one kid who didn't say it based on religious reasons was always singled out by the other kids.

[taurusowner]

I've never had it at any of my schools.  Though the college I go to has already gone ahead about put up a whole "chain of command" type wall with Obama, Biden, Clinton, and all the Secs pictures right in the front lobby of the Student Center.  They most certainly did NOT do any of this when Bush was President.

[Desertdog]

There was a pic of the current Prez at each of my schools, and most of the previous Prezes too.

Put up all or none.

[MicroBalrog]

In Israel, when a new PM, Chief of Staff, or President is elected, the newspapers distribute free portraits of the guy for people to hang in their offices/stores. You'd be amazed how many people do that. Ex-officers/career NCOs seem to be particularly fond of putting up pics of the CoS, but others are also put up, and of course it is done in schools.

[mejeepnut]

who pays for the darts?

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

Put up all or none.

The idea was to put all of 'em up, but they were missing a few from the collection for some reason.  Some were lost or broken or something, I think.  It wasn't like someone got to pick and choose their favorite Top Dudes to go up on the wall.

[Perd Hapley]

who pays for the darts?

Look at this.  We let some new guy come in and win the thread.  Dang.