Obama’s speech comes early for local schools

WASILLA — President Barack Obama plans to give a live national speech to schoolchildren Tuesday, but technology and teaching could make it difficult for students to hear his voice here.

“There’s not a directive one way or the other, it’s up to individual schools or individual teachers,” said school district spokeswoman Catherine Esary. “It’s not being prescribed or suggested or encouraged or discouraged.”

According to a U.S. Department of Education press release, the speech will be broadcast live on CSPAN and on the Web at noon Eastern Time. That translates to 8 a.m. Alaska time, meaning most area schools are beginning morning classes.

“The president will speak directly to the nation’s children and youth about persisting and succeeding in schools. The president will challenge students to work hard, set educational goals and take responsibility for their learning,” the press release states.

Over at Palmer High School, principal Wolfgang Winter said the school isn’t doing anything schoolwide on the topic. Teachers may choose to use the speech, he said, and the activity wouldn’t be one that required a permission slip.

“It would be one of those cultural events that a teacher might incorporate, whether or not it fits directly with their curriculum. If they feel that it’s important enough of an event, they can do that as long as they still meet all their curricular obligations,” Winter said.

Wasilla High School had much the same answer.

“We don’t have the technology for it, to stream it,” said vice principal Mark Okeson. “We really haven’t had a teacher make a request, or anyone, for a building-wide transmission. Whether some teachers are going to be doing anything with it, that’s up to them.”

On the elementary school level, Cottonwood Creek and Machetanz elementaries didn’t have a set plan for what they were doing as of press time.

Esary said that if parents want to know if their children will see the speech they should contact the school or even their child’s teacher.

She said schools are set up to include events like this in a way that does not interfere with the rest of the curriculum.

“Curriculum in the schools is designed to take 60 or 80 percent of the allowed time,” she said.

To read more about the speech visit the U.S. Department of Education Web site at www.ed.gov. The speech will be Web cast at www.whitehouse.gov/live.