After news spread that President Barack Obama was giving a “Back-To-School” speech on Tuesday, Sept. 8, Principal Christopher Garran sent an e-mail to the PTSA listserv on Sept. 4 explaining that the speech would be shown at WJ through live broadcast, notwithstanding much controversy.
“The school’s leadership team voiced overwhelming support for a change to the schedule in order to show the 20 minute speech,” wrote Garran. “Student representatives spoke convincingly in support of showing the speech and department heads agreed.”
Garran stressed in his e-mail that according to the White House’s Web site, the speech was nonpartisan and was to motivate schoolchildren.
Obama delivered the address from Wakefield High School in Arlington, Va., where it was broadcast nationwide. Schools tuned in to Channel 3 to listen to the president’s encouraging words.
“What you’re learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future,” said Obama in the 20-minute speech, urging students to take responsibility for their education and to stay in school.
However, no student was obligated to listen to these words. WJ administration made sure students had the option to opt out of listening to the speech. Students were provided with the choice to go the media center during the 20-minute duration the speech was being aired in fifth period classes.
According to assistant principal Fran Irvin, the school was not expecting many students to opt out of the speech. While Irvin and assistant principal Nicole Morgan waited at the entrance of the media center at the beginning of the speech, they commented that very few students had come. Those students were sent to a separate room in the media center.
However, minutes later, large groups of students stormed the media center, ranging from freshmen to seniors. While some commented that they were opting out for political reasons, others said they did not need the president to motivate them or that they simply did not want to watch the speech.
Not long after, the school expanded the “opting-out-area” to two rooms in the media center, which eventually became packed with students. One group of students jammed inside the media center were the Maryland Teenage Republicans (MTR).
“It is very partisan and inappropriate that a speech is made in a public school,” said senior Benjamin Cooke, a representative for MTR. “And even in school, I feel that more support is given to liberal clubs, such as the peace club and the environmental club.”
Other students and staff found the timing of Obama’s speech to be inappropriate. While classes were only shortened by an average of three minutes, some felt that this was still unreasonable.
“It is wrong for the president to try to interrupt class so he can further his political agenda,” said senior Michael Bouvet. “It would’ve been more appropriate during prime time.”
Along with Bouvet, math teacher Mary LaFratta also questioned the president’s decision to address the nation during school hours.
“If he had done it during prime time, then children could have watched it with their parents and then discussed it with their parents,” said LaFratta. “Having worked in the TV industry, I know that nearly 100 percent of school children in America have access to TV at home.”
On the other side, many parents were huge supporters of Obama’s speech, and numerous commented on Obama’s rights as a US citizen.
“What happened to our ‘Freedom of Speech,’ does it not apply to the President of the United States?” said WJ parent Ronald English. “I hope and pray that my own children gleam a sense of honor to know that the President of the United States is urging them [to] do their best in school, as it was his schooling which helped his him achieve his current success.”
Other parents were not bothered by the 20 minutes being allotted for the speech during the school day.
“Just last Friday, [Sept.4], the bell schedule was adjusted for a pep rally at the school,” said parent Jody Krieger. “Surely, 20 minutes devoted to the President of the United States is worth as much as a pep rally.”
