Demos defend Obama broadcast

Utah Democrats are shaking their heads in disbelief that parents in a state that prides itself on its educational acheivements are planning to protest a live broadcast speech in which President Barack Obama will encourage the nation's school children to work hard and succeed in their educational endeavors.

"There is just a group in this country that is unable to get over the election we had last November," Utah State Democratic Party Chairman Wayne Holland told the Deseret News on Thursday.

Parents will be able to get a sneak preview, however. The White House plans to release the text of the speech online Monday so parents can read it at www.whitehouse.gov

The speech will air at 10 a.m. on the Web site and C-SPAN. Obama will speak at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Va., directly addressing the nation's students on succeeding in school.

"I think it's really unfortunate that politics has been brought into this," said White House deputy policy director Heather Higginbottom. "It's simply a plea to students to really take their learning seriously."

Some districts in states including Texas, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Virginia, Wisconsin have decided not to show the speech to students.

In Florida, GOP chairman Jim Greer released a statement that he was "absolutely appalled that taxpayer dollars are being used to spread President Obama's socialist ideology."

Utah districts, with few exceptions, are leaving it up to principals and teachers whether to view the live broadcast. Judgment is based on technological availability and whether the broadcast ties with curriculum.

Oklahoma state Sen. Steve Russell, who is a Republican, said, "As far as I am concerned, this is not civics education — it gives the appearance of creating a cult of personality. This is something you'd expect to see in North Korea or in Saddam Hussein's Iraq."

Utah's Holland said in a Thursday media release, "It's a sad day when even a very small number of Americans respond to a plea from our country's leader to value the educational opportunities our schools offer with fear and paranoia."

Many Utah districts are posting information about the broadcast on their Web sites. Some districts are sending forms to parents that allows their children opt out of the event.

Holland takes to task Utah districts for responding to "a very small minority of right wing extremists expressing paranoia" over Obama's address.

The statement urges school officials to "show our president the respect he deserves."