Mommy Life: Obama September 8 - email your local school

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September 2, 2009 10:42 AM

Obama September 8 - email your local school

[September 17 Update: A lot has happened since this blog entry - and there has been much misrepresentation in the media. For an up-to-date and factual summary of the background of this controversy, see Loudoun Public Schools, Obama address - a summary.]

The issue of Obama's unprecedented intrusion of the Executive branch into our local public schools is a growing concern. MommyLife received almost 7000 visits yesterday and I am supposed to do a radio interview this morning.

Please be aware that the time of the address has been moved up from 1:00 am to 12:00 EST. Also, just removing your child from school for an hour might not keep your child from the propaganda aspects, as Obama employees have generated before and after discussion and activities.

You will need to contact your child's individual schools to see how they will handle this, then make an informed decision about whether your children will attend school 9/8.

I wrote the following email to my children's principals, with copies to the school board and administration. It is with deep regret as I have good relationships with these individuals and hope to maintain them. However, I cannot in good conscience bow to tactics reminiscent of totalitarianism. I am printing it here for those who'd like to get started on their own:

To the principals of my children's schools:

I am sorry to begin the year on an off note.

Please know that I appreciate each of you. Our family is very grateful for Loudoun Schools and enormous respect for the staff. Please know that even if we disagree on specific issues, that never changes.

In regards to Arne Duncan's directive to principals concerning Obama's address to public school students on September 8 - including before and after classroom activities - many parents see an unprecedented intrusion of the Executive branch into our local public schools. We are concerned at the propaganda-like aspects and the dangerous precedent it sets.

Suggested questions for discussion include:

Why is it important that we listen to the President and other elected officials, like the mayor, senators, members of congress, or the governor?
What is the President trying to tell me?
What is the President asking me to do?
What new ideas and actions is the President challenging me to think about?
I have contacted Dr. Hatrick and our school board for some statement on whether LCPS will be taking away instructional time to provide President Obama with the audience he wishes to reach. I have received no substantial reply, though Mr. Ohneiser referred me to the VDOE. Charles Pyle, VDOE Director of Communications says - as I anticipated he would - that this is a matter that will be decided on the local level. I have written a second time to the board and administration to inform them.

I am so sorry to add to the task of beginning a new school year. But to avoid confusion, this is a matter that needs to be addressed before this weekend. Many parents plan to keep their children home from school unless there is some assurance that their children will not be subjected to what we see as political exploitation and propaganda. We need clear answers on what will happen at our children's schools September 8.

Respectfully yours,
Barbara Curtis