The Catholic Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin will allow its schools to air President Obama’s back-to-school speech this year, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. The article goes on to say that this is a reversal of last year’s decision not to allow the speech to be shown in Catholic classrooms. The diocese is not mandating the speech, but is leaving the decision in the hands of local teachers and administrators.
Last year the prospect of showing the speech generated controversy around the nation, with many schools and districts opting not to show it. The speech itself proved to be fairly benign, but there was quite a bit of discussion about the teaching materials provided by the Department of Education, and about the appropriateness of showing it during school.
What is your diocese saying about broadcasting the speech to your students? Anything? Has this come up in faculty meetings or water-cooler conversations? Will you be showing it in your classroom this year? Why or why not? If you’re a Catholic school parent, what’s your opinion?
Express yourself by leaving a comment below–and let’s keep it civil, please.
I have mixed feelings. We allowed our children to watch it last year (public school). This year we will not.
Obama’s political beliefs are irrelevent. I simply think that a national political leader to routinely offer “insights”, “vision” or “guidiance” to young children is not part of our political tradition.
It maybe appropriate for high school students, but for elementary, it is a little bit eerie.