What is the big deal over Obamas speech to school kids?
TAMPA – Parents are threatening to keep their children home from school Tuesday to avoid a presidential speech that conservatives and critics say is an effort to indoctrinate students in “socialist” ideology. School officials in Hillsborough and Pasco counties say they started receiving calls Wednesday from concerned parents. The matter sparked a charged exchange at Thursday’s Hillsborough County School Board meeting, where board member Jennifer Faliero said her staff counted 50 e-mail messages and 15 telephone calls that day from angry parents, retired military people and others. She also questions the plan to have President Barack Obama address students duringschool. “I don’t think it’s appropriate,” Faliero said in an interview after the meeting. “We’re a school district. We use federal funds. Schools might feel pressured to make students watch this.” The U.S. Department of Education e-mailed 100,000 principals directly about having students watch the speech, which promotes educatio
