Massive overreaction. I think presidents routinely have such messages delivered to students by tv or otherwise, encouraging them to stay in school and do well. Asking the kids to then do some sort of letter saying how they will act on that just reinforces the message.
If anything, those of you convinced that his presidency is all about his being black should root for the possibility that his doing this -- and then asking the kids to come up with a plan to act on it -- will encourage some of the kids on the margins, particularly the black kids, to stay in school and do a little better.
The criticism -- and the article on FOX -- are a huige overreaction to a totally benign thing and just more scare tactics.
Along those lines, I find it somewhat amusing that FOX's headlines is "Critics Decry" the plan as some sort of "indoctrination." The "critics" are one guy -- a guy from the ultra conservative Obama-bashing CATO Institute.
This is the equivalent of Michael Moore starting a news channel and going around and getting quotes from Barabra Streisand and hoisting them up as "news" articles.
Seriously, a video that tells kids to work hard, study, and stay in school is indoctrination? Talk about over-reaching ....