Obama speech to be optional at BISD

In the wake of a national controversy surrounding a presidential speech to the nation’s students, the Brownsville Independent School District has left the decision of whether or not to air the broadcast up to individual schools.

"After doing a check on our schools, it appears that all will make the Obama message available somewhere in the school," said Drue Brown, public information office for BISD. "I can’t find one that is not showing it."

However, the district’s schools will allow students to opt out of watching the speech if their parents do not wish them to view it.

The president will deliver the speech, about the need to work hard and stay in school, from Wakefield High School in Arlington, Va. His words will be broadcast on television and on the White House Web site at noon Central Daylight Time.

Parents will be able to read the text of the address Monday on the White House Web site, so they can decide whether they want their kids to watch it or not.

Though the speech is slated to simply relate to educational success, some conservatives, driven by radio pundits and bloggers, are urging schools and parents to boycott the address. They say Obama is using the opportunity to promote a political agenda and is overstepping the boundaries of federal involvement in schools.

``As far as I am concerned, this is not civics education — it gives the appearance of creating a cult of personality,'' said Oklahoma Republican state Sen. Steve Russell. ``This is something you'd expect to see in North Korea or in Saddam Hussein's Iraq.''

BISD schools sent a letter home to parents on Friday, letting them know that the speech would be broadcast.

"If you wish your child not to view the broadcast, please send a note with them on Tuesday," reads the letter from Martin Elementary Principal Gilda Jo Peña to parents. "We will respect your request and make accommodations for them."

Peña said that her school had not received any calls from concerned parents as of Friday and that the biggest conflict with airing the speech was its timing.

"It’s on at noon, so a good chunk of our kiddos will be in the cafeteria," Peña said.

Brown said the district had received a handful of calls from parents.

"We explained to them that it’s an optional thing," Brown said.

Mary Shoupe, the office manager of the private Valley Christian High School, said the school would not be airing the speech. The principal of the school was not available for comment.

Districts in states including Texas, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Virginia and Wisconsin have decided not to show the speech to students. Officials in other school districts are still thinking it over or are letting parents have their kids opt out.

"I think it’s really unfortunate that politics has been brought into this," said Heather Higginbottom, White House deputy policy director, in an interview with The Associated Press.

"It’s simply a plea to students to really take their learning seriously, find out what they’re good at, set goals and take the school year seriously."

She noted that President George H. W. Bush made a similar address to schools in 1991. Like Obama, Bush drew criticism, with Democrats accusing the Republican president of turning the event into a campaign commercial.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican, said in an interview with the AP that he’s "certainly not going to advise anybody not to send their kids to school that day."

"Hearing the president speak is always a memorable moment," he said.

But he also said he understood the criticism.

"Nobody seems to know what he’s going to be talking about," Perry said. "Why didn’t he spend more time talking to the local districts and superintendents, at least give them a heads-up about it?"

Several other Texas districts have decided not to show the speech, although the district in Houston is leaving the decision up to individual school principals.

At Martin Elementary, Peña said the speech should be a positive experience for students.

"Truly the bottom line is that it’s for the students," Peña said. "It’s about the students — encouraging them to continue on their way."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.