On September 8th, President Obama will be delivering a message to the schoolchildren of America. This will be done in the schools. The lesson plans accompanying the address direct children to think about what they can do to help the President.

There has been much said already in opposition to the President’s planned speech. But I wanted to offer my perspective, based on my time as a school-aged kid.

1988 was an election year. George H.W. Bush and Michael Dukakis were campaigning to succeed Ronald Reagan as President of the United States. I was in 3rd grade at the time. I decided that I wanted Michael Dukakis to win the election. Why? I thought he had a funny name.

That’s it. That was my reason. Dukakis is more fun to say than Bush. It still is. (Go ahead, say it. I’m sure after 21 years you forgot how much fun it is.) And as a 3rd grader, this was enough of a reason to root for Dukakis over Bush.

Why do I bring this up? Simply to show that young children are unqualified to make decisions about politics and government officials.

Yet President Obama is going to address the schoolchildren of American on September 8th – all of them, from Kindergarten through 12th grade. But why? These children did not and cannot vote for him. Society recognizes that these youths are unqualified to join in the political process, hence the reason for a voting age. So what is Obama up to?

It is no secret that Obama’s poll numbers are plummeting. Many of the ones who voted for him in the name of “hope” and “change” are now uncomfortable with the change he is trying to usher in. Unable to convince reasonable adults, Obama now turns to children. He wants them to be his junior propaganda army, eager to find out what they can do for the President.

The fact of the matter is that these children should not do anything for the President. They are subject to their parents. Their parents are the ones who should determine what they do. But, losing the support of their parents, Obama is trying to circumvent them and use the government school system to call these children to some sort of action.

Mr. President, until these children are old enough to vote or serve their country in the military, you leave them alone. Make your appeals to their parents and other adults. Let the children focus on learning and getting an education now (which is allegedly the purpose of the government schools you are using to broadcast your message, is it not?), and let them wait to be concerned about politics until they are older.

To be fair, the administration has revised the lesson plan after the outrage expressed by parents. In some places, parents can choose to put their children in alternate activities during the time of the President’s speech. But they only did this after there was an outcry against their plans. One fundamental problem still exists: the administration believes they have the right to try to influence the youth of America through one-sided discourse, without parental consent.

These children should be taught about civics in school. That means they should be learning about how our political process works and how the government functions. Their education should not be about developing a loyalty or affinity to a particular political leader, which is exactly what will happen when a smooth-talking President addresses millions of impressionable young minds. It doesn’t matter if the speech is political or not. These kids will not be carefully considering the content of the speech, but will instead become attached to the one delivering it.

I remember in 5th grade when Madeline Cain came to speak to our class. She was either a candidate for the Ohio House of Representatives or was already an elected member of that body, I can’t remember which. I don’t know what she talked about during her visit. But at the time I decided I liked her. When she later ran for mayor of the city where I lived, I was happy that she won. Why? She came to speak to our class a few years before.

This is how young children think. And it is precisely why the President’s address to young schoolchildren all across the nation is dangerous, regardless of the actual text of his speech. When a society becomes enamored with an individual, dictatorships are born. Obama needs to stay out of the classrooms and let the teachers do their job of educating the students.