President Barack Obama's speech next week to the nation's students has mushroomed into a contentious civics lesson, 2009 style.
Federal education officials say Obama will challenge students to "work hard, set educational goals and take responsibility for their learning" when he speaks to them at noon Tuesday, via Webcast and C-SPAN. But critics, including the head of Florida's Republican Party, accuse Obama of spreading a "socialist agenda."
School districts are not required to air the speech, but the possibility had superintendents around Florida and nationwide scrambling Thursday to mollify upset parents.
Dorine McKinnon intends to keep her child home. "I obviously do not agree that it is appropriate for him to propagandize our children in that agenda,'' the mother of a Pinellas Middle School student wrote in an e-mail to the School Board.
But Hillsborough School Board member April Griffin chastised conservatives for turning an ordinary presidential message into a partisan dispute.
"He is not just an elected official; he is our president," she said. "And the children need to respect that, whether their parents voted for him or not."
Tampa Bay area school officials, who fielded dozens of calls and e-mails, will allow parents to "opt out" students from viewing the 15 to 20 minute speech.
However, districts differed in the mechanics of opting out, from excused absences for Pinellas students who are kept home by a parent to requiring parents in Hernando to sign permission slips. Pasco and Hillsborough will arrange alternative activities upon parental request, but will make no special effort to plumb their wishes.
"When an elected official offers to visit a school, we roll out the red carpet," said Hillsborough spokesman Stephen Hegarty, recalling previous visits by Govs. Charlie Crist and Jeb Bush.
"We don't question it."
By week's end, probably every school district in Florida will have to draft a policy about the speech, said Jim Warford, directors of the Florida Association of School Administrators.
"Given the current climate of the health care debate, nothing surprises me anymore," he said. "However, I have a really hard time understanding how anyone could question the educational value of the president's address."
But in her e-mail to the Pinellas County School Board, McKinnon said, "a better solution would be to allow children to view the web site address on their own time at home."
McKinnon said she was particularly concerned about suggested classroom activities posted on the Department of Education Web site.
Possible discussion topics to accompany the speech include, "What new ideas and actions is the president challenging me to think about?"
Originally, another proposed activity would have encouraged students to discuss how they could "help" the president.
Children shouldn't be asked to "pledge support for President Obama," McKinnon wrote.
The White House, which insists that the speech only will tout the value of education, has since removed that item.
Seminole resident Steve Grabe, with four children in Pinellas schools, e-mailed the board to suggest that the speech be taped and accompanied by dueling "talking heads" who support and oppose Obama.
"Our nation is presently engaged in an energetic debate" about health care, global warming, Iraq, terrorism and freedom of speech, Grabe said. "I see no reason … that the President be given unfettered access to children who may not be inclined to examine alternate viewpoints."
The controversy broke out after Education Secretary Arne Duncan sent a letter to principals urging schools to watch.
But the notion that Obama might launch a sneak, socialist attack on impressionable minds gained currency earlier this week with a news release by Florida GOP chief Jim Greer.
"School children across our nation will be forced to watch the President justify his plans for government-run health care, banks and automobile companies, increasing taxes on those who create jobs and racking up more debt than any other president," Greer wrote.
Some conservatives, driven by radio pundits and bloggers, have been urging schools and parents to boycott the address.
Schools across the country have responded in a variety of ways. Albuquerque will let kids opt out. Green Bay, Wis., will archive the speech and let teachers decide if it is appropriate to show later. About one-third of Fort Worth schools will not show it at all.
In Florida, heavily Democratic Broward County will not allow students to skip the speech, despite several parental protests. Letting students opt out "does not align with our practices and responsibility to provide a well rounded, quality education," superintendent James Notter wrote in a memo.
Pinellas superintendent Julie Janssen said absences for the entire day will be excused, even coming on the heels of Labor Day's three-day break.
"Whenever a parent calls and says, 'I'm keeping my child home,' it's always excused," Janssen said. "We never question what a parent does."
Board member Linda Lerner, a Democrat, was skeptical.
"I don't want to be too critical of the superintendent," Lerner said. "But an excused absence? Because the president is going to speak about kids staying in school? I don't agree with it."
The topic sparked spirited comment at the Hillsborough County School Board's Thursday meeting.
Board member Jennifer Faliero said many constituents thought the president is crossing a political line.
"There's a fear of an indoctrination," she said. But "this is not a harmful message the president wants to deliver to our students; it is a good message.''
Times staff writers Jeffrey S. Solochek, Tony Marrero and Tom Marshall, and Times researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this report. Information from the Associated Press and SunSentinel.com was used as well.
Students can opt out, but check the details
Schools don't have to show President Obama's speech. In all four Tampa Bay area districts, parents can opt out students if a school shows it. The specifics, however, are different in each district:
Pinellas: It will be an excused absence if a parent keeps a student home. Assemblies to watch Obama will require advance notice to parents; classroom showings will not.
Hillsborough: It will be aired only where it connects with the curriculum. Parents will not be notified about the speech, but can let their school know if they want their child to opt out.
Hernando: Principals will send home permission slips that must be signed allowing students to view the speech or opt out.
Pasco: Teachers will make alternative assignments for students who opt out.
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