Hopkins School District #270

09/03/2009

Question 

Will Hopkins Schools be participating in President Obama's, September 8, address to the school children across the nation? 

Answer 

The President is expected to deliver a national message directly to students on the importance of education via the White House website. The President will challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning, according to U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan. The U.S. Department of Education is providing classroom resource material for K-6 and 7-12 classrooms as part of the national speech, which can be found on its website.

President Obama's actions are not without precedent. President George H.W. Bush did something similar in 1991 in a live telecast/radio broadcast to the nation's students.

There is no districtwide plan to present the President's message. We are not directing our schools to take time out of a busy school day to listen to the President, nor are they going to alter the school day to accommodate the speech. However, we have notified schools that use of the curriculum materials and the presentation is at the discretion of individual classroom teachers and principals, either on Tuesday or as part of a future lesson plan.

We are confident with the discretion our teachers have in their lesson planning that they will develop and present materials that are aligned with Minnesota educational standards and objectives of the curriculum.

As with any other curriculum, topic or activity, if parents do not want their children to be part of the curriculum, the teacher is expected to provide alternative materials or activities. This policy and practice can be referenced in School Board Policy 606. Parents who do not want their child to be part of any presentation by the President or the White House materials can make that request through their principal or teacher.