While the nation debates the pros and cons of President Barack Obama's planned message to school children at noon today, Frederick County Public Schools officials are leaving the decision to air the speech up to individual teachers.The school system "is neither encouraging nor discouraging teachers to utilize the President's Sept. 8 address in their classrooms," according to a statement. "No school-wide assemblies are planned."
"It's up to the individual teachers and will vary from class to class and from school to school," spokeswoman Marita Loose said Friday.
School officials have received calls from parents about the televised message, Loose said.
"Some parents are really excited about the president talking to their children," she said. "And we've heard from other parents who don't want the president talking to their children."
Some common complaints Loose said she heard include the belief such a message is indoctrination; that is it government intruding in family life; and that this kind of information is for parents to decide whether they want their children to hear.
Washington County Public Schools officials have decided not to air the speech live, according to a message on that school system's website.
"However, WCPS recognizes the value of hearing the president's message and will make it available to students and families interested in viewing the speech," the statement read. Officials also wrote that the school system "wishes to demonstrate respect for the Office of the President and the school system appreciates the attention being given to the importance of education."
Officials at Visitation Academy and St. John Regional Catholic School declined to comment and referenced the Archdiocese of Baltimore's statement on its website.
In that statement, Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien acknowledges the "historic significance of the President's speech and is fully supportive of the educational messages the White House says the President will deliver."
But he also respects the rights of parents to decide what is best for their children in this matter and has asked all schools to have alternative activities available for children whose parents do not want them watching the address, according to the statement.
A political message?
In his message, which was posted Monday on the White House website, Obama will talk to students about the responsibility they bear to succeed in school. No matter what they choose to do in life, they will need an education. He will encourage them to stay in school, work hard and achieve their dreams.
Some complaints have centered around supplemental materials being supplied for related lessons. Critics on national television shows have said the materials promote Obama and do not necessarily relate to how the children can push themselves to do their best as students.
U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-6th, issued a statement saying he encourages parents to attend school with their children to listen not just to the speech but the lessons associated with it.
"I've reviewed the 'Menu of Classroom Activities' that has been distributed by the administration," Bartlett said. "These materials clearly and inappropriately promote Barack Obama."
Bartlett said he would encourage Obama and his aides to focus his speech on encouraging teachers and students to celebrate Constitution Day on Sept. 17.
"It would be most fitting for our president to challenge students to read, learn and discuss our Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, instead of books about himself," Bartlett wrote.
On Sunday's "Meet the Press" show, White House senior adviser David Axelrod, noting a nearly 30 percent dropout rate across the country, said if the president's speech prevents just one student from quitting school, the message will have been worth it.
Axelrod said there was nothing political about the president's message and that it was a shame that people had tried to politicize it.
While across the country Republicans are denouncing the planned speech as propaganda, former House Speaker and Republican Newt Gingrich said in an interview with Fox News that he understood the speech to be a totally positive message.
"If that is what it is, it is good to have the President of the United States saying to young people across America stay in school and do your homework," Gingrich said. "It's good for America."
Loose said she was surprised by the debate kicked off by the president's message.
"I would not have predicted the president's address would have caused such a controversy," she said. "But now that it has, we need to respect the wishes of our parents.
"We have to respect parental concerns and be responsive to them -- that's the way we have always done business."
The speech will be carried live on C-SPAN at noon.
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