[Article from The Cypress Times, hypertexting added to original article by HALC.us staff:]
Published 09/04/2009 – 10:43 a.m. CST
JOHN NEUBAUER
Superintendent
PHONE: (281) 357-3100
FAX: (281) 357-3128
September 3, 2009
Dear Tomball ISD Parents:
You may be aware that President Barack Obama is scheduled to address the nation’s school children via the internet on September 8. According to the representatives with the White House, President Obama’s speech will address four main points:
The importance of staying in school.
The importance of education.
The importance of education to the country.
The importance of education to the future of the country.
The live internet broadcast is scheduled during our campus lunch periods, which makes it impossible to air to all students at that time. Therefore, Tomball ISD will not be showing the live broadcast. However, we will capture the broadcast electronically for viewing by our district administrators. The speech will be analyzed for grade level appropriateness for viewing by students in social studies courses. If the speech is approved for viewing, teachers will have the opportunity to incorporate the speech into their future lesson plans. Parents will b
e notified before the speech is viewed in class and given an opportunity to complete an opt out form for their children.
We appreciate your understanding and support.
Sincerely,
John Neubauer
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**Editor’s note: Magnolia ISD is following with a similar policy. Per The Tribune, a local Tomball/Magnolia/Waller Tribune News paper, Magnolia ISD will:
“[R]eview the webcast to evaluate its education appropriateness. At that point, a decision will be made regarding the applicable use of the speech within the MISD curriculum. Should the district decide to use any of the address, parents, after having been afforded the opportunity to preview the webcast, may choose whether or not to have their child opt out of the lesson.” Magnolia ISD School Board President Glenn Addison said the board reversed the original decision to show the broadcast, saying, ‘it was too controversial.’”
In addition, many other school districts in the Houston area are either following Tomball and Magnolia ISDs leads and not showing the broadcast till their respective boards can review the broadcast or they’re using permission forms describing the presidential address and boxes for checking “yes” or “no” and a signature line. Those forms were generally sent home last week on Thursday or Friday. If the child does not return a permission form in the positive, marked something like “My child has permission to view the presidential address described above,” then those children are seated in another room from those children viewing the webcast. They are given either time to do other homework or may have “free reading time.” Editor’s son, a 4th grade HISD Writing and Science teacher, said HISD is showing the transmission, live, but is utilizing the permission form so parents can either give permission or withhold permission.
Here is sample of a “PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS PERMISSION FORM,” from Douglas County School District, Castle Rock CO. However, the Castle Rock CO form is an “opt out” form; if no form is returned, then the student is required to view the broadcast—a big change from when I was a kid, where “no form” meant “no permission” and you didn’t get to or have to do whatever….
This editor has also spoken with a few parents of children in the 2nd to 9th grade in various public schools. A few of them are keeping their children at home that day, as a form of financial protest. Texas state receives about $35.00 per day, per student when students are there at “official attendance” time, which is generally around 10:30 am in K-6. Those funds are then channeled to that particular ISD.
One parent this editor knows homeschools and Mom was not sure at that time if she would show the broadcast to her children or not. Another parent editor knows has his child in a Catholic school, which is not showing the broadcast, in the North Houston area.
Also, Right Wing Sparkle on the Houston Chronicle, the North Houston TEA Party Patriots, Free Republic (online), and The Cypress Times (online), among many other local papers around the country, have parent/grandparent comments or blogs about the broadcast.
