E-mail Story
Print Friendly
Send E-mail
Reprint story
Thursday, September 03, 2009
APS Students Can Skip Obama Talk
By Andrea Schoellkopf
Journal Staff Writer
Albuquerque parents will be able to opt out if their children's teacher wants to tune into President Barack Obama's back-to-school address next week, APS Superintendent Winston Brooks said.
"This is a politically fired issue," Brooks told the school board Wednesday during its regular meeting. APS offices received four phone calls and "a handful" of e-mails from parents concerned about the address, and officials checked to see how other urban districts were responding to the issue, Brooks said.
The speech, to be broadcast on C-SPAN and the Internet via the White House Web site at 10 a.m. Tuesday, will be delivered to the nation's schoolchildren on what is typically the first day of school in other parts of the country.
"The president will challenge students to work hard, set educational goals and take responsibility for their learning," U.S. Secretary Arne Duncan said in a letter to principals, which is posted on the state Public Education Department Web site.
It will be up to individual teachers to decide whether they want to air the address, Brooks said.
Rick Abraham, Bernalillo County Republican Party vice chairman, and his stepson, Tyler Washer, spoke out against the president's speech at the board meeting, saying it would be inappropriate for younger children.
"These are little children that haven't even reached the age of reason," Abraham said.
He also said broadcasting Obama's address would violate APS policy on political solicitations in schools.
"It clearly states it cannot be done," he said.
However, APS board president Marty Esquivel said, "I think we should give the President of the United States the benefit of the doubt he would not use this as a political moment."
He added that he would expect the same opposition from Democrats if a Republican president wanted to address schoolchildren.
Abraham said he agreed with Brooks' opt-out policy.
Washer said accompanying U.S. Department of Education lesson plans in which students would set their goals and discuss what the president is asking of them are tantamount to signing a contract promising to help the president.
Brooks said principals and teachers will be required to find alternate activities should students or even their teachers decide not to view the speech.
Local Republicans sent out an e-mail calling Obama's address an "indoctrination" plan for students, in response to a story that aired on Fox News.
Nationally, Republicans are using the president's coming speech as a rallying point, with demonstrations planned in San Antonio, Texas, for instance, by organizers of the recent Tea Party activities.
A state Democratic Party official said he had not heard of the speech until Wednesday.
"Only the Republican Party could politicize the president welcoming students back to school," Josh Geise, executive director of the Democratic Party of New Mexico.
You also can send comments via our comment form
|
|
