McHenry County Blog

Here is what McHenry High School District 156 has on its web site about President Barack Obama’s speech to captive audiences in schools throughout the nation:

“Information Regarding President Obama’s Address to School Children on September 8, 2009

“As a matter of good instructional practice, teachers preview materials to determine their applicability to course curriculum before they use them in classes.

“Therefore, District 156 will not be participating in President Obama’s live broadcast scheduled for Tuesday, September 8.

“After previewing a recording of the broadcast, some teachers may find that the President’s message has a connection to their course content and may elect to use all or part of the presentation in future lessons.

“In accordance with district practice, any student who does not wish to participate may be offered an alternate assignment.

“Parents with questions or concerns should contact the District 156 Board of Education office at 815-385-7900.”

When I called Woodstock Unit District 200 to find out how it is dealing with the request of the White House to broadcast President Barack Obama’s message to classrooms next Tuesday, Barb Banker, Director of Community Services, told me:

“We are making this optional for our schools, our teachers and our parents. What that essentially means is that our schools are aware of the opportunity and have made that option available within their buildings.

“In some schools there has been a choice to show the message, however, we’re still trying to take a tally of what will be done.

“Parents are going to be given the option to opt their children out and all of our parents will be notified of that opportunity.

“We are getting responses on both sides, to be frank.”

The Woodstock school district is the first I have found that plans to notify parents of their ability to request an alternative educational opportunity while the President speaks the day after Labor Day. That is the traditional day for starting school, but it certainly is not the first day anywhere around here.

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You see a picture of Greenwood School. The kids were at recess when we drove by on the way earlier this week.

As I was looking at how various area school districts are coping with President Barack Obama’s request to penetrate every school room in America, I was pointed to Carpentersville Unit District 300′s message to the public:

“Message from the Superintendent:

“Some D300 teachers and principals are allowing their students to watch President Obama’s national address to American school children at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8.

“The topic is the importance of education and setting/meeting goals.

“Parents who do not want their children to watch this Presidential address can contact their teacher so the teacher may make other arrangements for their children.”

It appears that District 300 is allowing parents to opt out of the “opportunity,” just as Crystal Lake Grade School District 47 is.

Huntley School District 158, on the other hand, is foregoing the opportunity. Here’s what Crystal Lake High School District 155 is doing.

President Barack Obama’s introduction of the Cult of Personality to captive audiences in school rooms across the country is still under consideration by Crystal Lake High School District 155.

Here’s the response I received from 155′s public information officer Jeff Puma when I asked about the situation:

“Thank you for your message regarding the President’s planned speech to students. Our district and school administration teams are working with staff now on this.

“While I do not know if any teachers will use the speech on Tuesday, I do know that if it is used that it will be tied to specific learning goals related to the topics covered in the speech–goal setting, the importance of education, and persistence.

“We realize that some parents or students may not be comfortable watching a speech from the President should it be shown. As has been a long-standing procedure at District 155, parents or students may opt to utilize an alternative education experience.

“I hope this answers your question, but if you have additional questions, please let me know.”

Now, if a history class were going to discuss how world leaders have imprinted themselves upon their subjects throughout history (including during the present day) and what happened after that process had been accomplished, that would be a discussion worth hearing.

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The picture of Barack Obama was obtained from his presidential campaign web site.

At the end of the Huntley District 158 school Board meeting, I asked Superintendent John Burkey if President Obama’s speech was going to be shown his students.

His answer was succinct:

A bit different than what is happening in Crystal Lake’s grade schools.