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Parents can get an early look at Obama TV address
Staff Writer The Brainerd School District, which drew sharp criticism from both sides of the political spectrum Friday, reached a new decision about whether to show President Barack Obama's speech to students Tuesday, the first day of school.
Obama plans to address schoolchildren nationwide at 11 a.m. Tuesday about the importance of education. Several parents complained Thursday to Brainerd school administrators, as well as administrators in other area school districts, saying they didn't want their children watching it.
After news spread about the issue, the district received many other calls Friday in favor and in objection of students viewing of Obama's speech Tuesday.
Brainerd Superintendent Steve Razidlo said Friday that the district has no intention of censoring the president but it is reasonable that district officials preview educational materials before showing it to students. Razidlo said based on new information, he has since learned Friday that a printed version of Obama's speech would be available online Monday for educators and parents. In this case, some students in the middle and high schools may be watching Obama's speech live or on tape, depending if the teachers feel it fits into their course schedule.
"We still have a desire to protect the routines we have established the first day of school and run first day schedules as we'd planned to do, but in talking with school folks in the district, the opportunity for teachers and students to witness President Obama's speech is something that can perhaps be accommodated in some of our buildings, either live or tape-delayed when it could fit into a schedule," said Razidlo.
At BHS, only ninth- and 10th-graders will be at the buildings since juniors and seniors start school Wednesday, which means some of those older students may watch Obama's speech later in the week.
Razidlo said students may opt out of watching Obama's speech and will be offered an alternative activity. He said the district's previous decision to tape Obama's speech and decide later whether students may watch it was not meant to be disrespectful to the office of the president. It had more to do with the very busy and hectic schedule on the first day of school and the need to run class and lunchroom schedules on time.
"I think it's fair to say other presidents have addressed students, even in our Brainerd community we have welcomed an independent governor (Gov. Jesse Ventura) in our gymnasium and we've welcomed a sitting governor (Gov. Tim Pawlenty) to do his radio show in our conference room at Brainerd High School," said Razidlo. "It's sad there's a controversy before school starts and to me, it's troublesome that the office of the president itself isn't given more respect for the intention of a message."
The Pequot Lakes School District has listed its plan for addressing Obama's speech on its Web site, http://pequotlakes.k12.mn.us. District officials have instructed principals not to change their first day schedules to accommodate the broadcast. Instead, Obama's speech will be recorded and make available to teachers to use at a future time if they feel it is appropriate as part of their lesson. Teachers were told to inform parents whether the speech would be shown, allowing them the time to decide if they want their children to hear it. If not, parents may opt out of allowing their children to hear the broadcast and there will be no negative consequences for those students, the Web site stated.
JODIE TWEED may be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.
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