Dear President Obama,

Today I received a letter from my 5 year old's school asking if I would like to sign a waiver saying she does not have to watch your speech to school children this Tuesday the 14th. First of all, I don't know how on earth we came to a point where it could be hazardous to listen to your president without your parents near your side. The waiver suggested that if we were concerned, we could look up last year's address online on the white house website. I did just that and reviewed what was said. What I read did not make me uncomfortable. It did however not appeal to the average 5 year old and is probably best suited to be given to middle school and high school aged children. I don't know if you caught the word I used so I will say it again. I READ the address. Yes, there is no video. Now, you and I both know that words can get lost in transcription. Sorry to be a little untrusting, but I would like to actually SEE what was given.

Here is my big problem and the reason I will be signing the waiver and keeping my child out of school on the 14th. Why can you not give this address live to the school children and do it on national TV? Why is it so important that the children be given the live, unedited version and the parents be given the transcript later? Why can't the children be given the video? Some schools are already taping it and then showing it later so why can't you? THIS would not be a problem.

Now, you say that this makes me paranoid. I wouldn't be paranoid if in the beginning of your presidency you hadn't asked friends and neighbors to "rat out" those who talked negatively of you. (remember flag@whitehouse.gov?) This is not what should be happening in our free country. We have a freedom of speech in this country along with choice (which is why we got the waiver). Good luck in your speech on Tuesday. If there's an actual video released then I'll watch it with my 5 year old later.

--Jessica