NBPS Will Be Airing the President's Message to Students Tuesday Morning
According to its Web site, on Tuesday at 11 am, the New Berlin School District will be airing a live broadcast of President Obama’s message to school children about the importance of working hard and staying in school.
Click here for the superintendent’s Sept. 3 letter addressed to parents
Click here for the board president/superintendent's Sept. 4 letter addressed to “district stakeholders”. In it, they point out that Presidents George HW Bush and Ronald Reagan had attempted to reach out to American school children to encourage greater achievement.
NBPS will be broadcasting the president’s speech live and providing students/their parents an opportunity to opt out of the activity if they wish.
Bravo! This was a good decision by New Berlin Public Schools officials.
Today’s Milw. Journal Sentinel editorial asserts that President Obama’s message is a valuable one. It calls the Elmbrook District’s decision not to broadcast it during class time/air it live, a mistake.
The JS editorial ends with: “The nation’s children can stand hearing from the president for 20 minutes. In fact, it would be a good thing for them to hear more often from the president, whatever his or her name or party. “
Also, In today’s newspaper, there is a letter from a Muskego man who calls the Elmbrook District's decision outrageous and feels their superintendent does not understand his role as an educator. His letter begins with this paragraph: “ All moments in school are teachable moments. The Elmbrook School District has just taught its children, with its decision, that it is perfectly acceptable to prevent speech from being heard when you disagree with the speaker. “
He also argues that students have now learned it is OK to ignore people you disagree with. And goes on to state, "Students in Elmbrook may now go through life ignoring their teachers, coaches, managers, or others with whom they do not agree."
