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.