Some parents upset over Obama speech to students

Parents are threatening to keep their children home from school Tuesday to avoid a presidential speech that conservatives and critics say is an effort to indoctrinate students in "socialist" ideology.

School officials in Hillsborough and Pasco counties say they started receiving calls Wednesday from concerned parents.

The topic sparked a charged exchange at Thursday's Hillsborough County School Board meeting, where member Jennifer Faliero said her staff counted 50 e-mails and 15 telephone calls that day from angry parents, retired military and others.

"I don't think it's appropriate," Faliero said in an interview after the meeting. "We're a school district. We use federal funds. Schools might feel pressured to make students watch this."

The U.S. Department of Education e-mailed 100,000 principals directly about having students watch the speech, which promotes education. The agency even suggested follow-up activities, including reading books about Barack Obama.

The White House has characterized the president's speech as a way to motivate students to stay in school; but almost since it was announced Tuesday, the plan has been under attack by opponents who say Obama will use it as a platform to push his political agenda.

C-SPAN will air the 15- to 20-minute speech at noon, the same time it will be streamed live online in schools across the country.

Teachers have the option of watching the speech with students, said schools Superintendent MaryEllen Elia. A parent who objects can write a letter to the school principal, who will find other activities for the student. Pasco County schools are making similar accommodations.

There will be no general assemblies to view the speech, Faliero said.

Elia and the seven school board members reviewed the e-mail to principals, and Web links it contained, and agreed the message is good.

But it's the way the speech is being delivered that has rankled people, said Faliero, a Republican. Students won't be able to participate in the discussion.

"The concern here is that it's a one-way communication," she said. "That's the fear of indoctrination."

But using such technology to share a message is the way students communicate, countered fellow board member April Griffin, a Democrat.

"He's the first president to have a Blackberry," she said. "He's talking to students in a way they can get."

Plus, he's the president of the United States, she said.

"He's our president."

Watching the speech will be voluntary in both Hillsborough and Pasco schools, but some parents say that's still not acceptable.

"I think he may put a political spin on it, so I'm not for it," said Tania Phillips, the mother of a 5-year-old attending Gorrie Elementary in South Tampa.

Others support the broadcast: "I always thought working hard, setting goals and taking responsibility were good things that parents should already be teaching their children," said Kristin Zaubzer, of Tampa. "I don't see how this is 'spreading socialism' so much as encouraging good, everyday values."

The concerns being voiced by parents in the Tampa Bay area echo a national debate.

Parents should be concerned because Obama will be trying to indoctrinate students with his agenda, said Gina Loudon, a spokeswoman for the Nationwide Tea Party Coalition, a conservative group that wants to trim government spending.

"He's asking questions like, 'What can you do to help the president?' He is asking schoolchildren to help him. As a parent and a taxpayer, I find that scary," she said.

A recorded message from President George H.W. Bush was delivered to students while he was in office, drawing some opposition from Democrats. But the movement questioning Obama's motives seems to be spreading.

The Nationwide Tea Party Coalition has started a "Hall Pass on That" campaign, encouraging parents to ask that their children be excused from watching the president's speech, given alternative assignments or that parents be provided DVDs of the speech, so they can decide if it's appropriate for their children.

Jim Greer, chairman of the Florida Republican Party, said the speech would use taxpayer dollars "to spread President Obama's socialist ideology."

Most school districts have guidelines prohibiting the endorsement of political views in the classroom. Obama's speech does not seem to violate those guidelines, based on materials sent by the Department of Education, Hillsborough school officials say.

"The president will speak directly to students around the country about the value of education and the importance of staying in school as part of his effort to dramatically cut the dropout rate," said White House spokeswoman Gannet Tseggai. "This is not a policy speech."

The calls in Pasco County have included a few parents who wanted their children to see the speech, but most have had concerns about what the message would be, said school district spokeswoman Summer Romagnoli.

Hillsborough County School Board member Doretha Edgecomb, a Democrat, was "blown away" that so many would object to the speech.

"It's a message that a lot of presidents have given before," she said.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this article contained errors. It stated incorrectly that school board members watched President Obama's planned speech when actually, they reviewed an e-mail describing it. Also, a message to students from President George H.W. Bush did draw opposition, contrary to what the earlier story said.