Arlington schools issues statement on Bush appearance

Some Arlington parents who would have liked their children to see President Barack Obama's address live today are upset with plans the district has to send about 500 students to a Sept. 21 event where former President George W. Bush will speak.

Some have suggested a double-standard.

The district just issued this statement in regard to the Sept. 21 event.

The event, to be held at the Cowboys Stadium, is hosted by the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Committee. A regional service-learning program, of which George and Laura Bush are the honorary chairs, to coincide with the 2011 Super Bowl in Arlington is to be announced. NFL officials, Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman are also confirmed speakers, according to the committee’s communications with the district.

Arlington chose not to show students Obama's live address, explaining that they didn't want to interrupt previous planned lessons. They said they'd make it available on their Website for teachers to incorporate where it was appropriate later on.

District spokeswoman Veronica Sopher said there is a difference between the two events.

"The distinction is it's a field trip that parents have to grant permission for students to attend," she said of the upcoming stadium visit. "With parental permission the selected classes will attend a filed trip at the Cowboys Stadium where they will hear from several different speakers."

- Traci Shurley

Comments

[normljoe]

Of course there's a difference. The Bush's are WHITE.

[Rose]

I hope that they are NOT going to bus these students with buses paid for by my TAX money.

[Mary]

Shame on the Arlington ISD! Get your priorities straight -- Super Bowl program or a message about staying in school from the elected President of the United States. And 10 - 1 they are going at Taxpayers expense.
Very disappointed in the Arlington ISD today.

[mizclark]

I want to know why I have a choice whether or not my children hear from Bush and I didn't get a choice for Obama.

Regardless of what AISD says, they could have made this avaiable for parents who wanted their children to watch. Its called an assembly! (Cafeteria, library, designated classroom) Obama is the President of the United States..period!

[Roger]

Absolutely disgusting, AISD!! I couldn't imagine such shoddy priorities when I was a student in that school district. I am pretty sure I know why one is being chosen over the other, though. Parents should really let district officials know about this.

[Hombre Frutas]

Arlington Hypocrisy School District's logic - it's attempt at logic - is so loony that it's insulting. Really? A field trip - nice break for the kids after all that learning. Can hardly wait to hear how they spin the upcoming bond election.........

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1386290629]

I am so thankful that my children will never attend Arlington ISD...I bought my first home there at 24, and was sorry immediately. I sold it within a year. They build a mega stadium, refuse all bus service overtures from adjoining cities, charge $60 for parking and want to indoctrinate kids into that culture. Shame on the hypocrisy!

[Patti]

Thank you, AISD for "protecting" my child from being urged to complete her education by our president. There are WAY TOO MANY positive influences vying for her attention right now...*rolls eyes*

[Derrick]

Oh now the AISD is playing semantics. The district said the reason for not airing President Obama's speech during class was so it wouldn't interrupt instruction time. But it's OK to use up over half of a school day to go see President Bush speak. My faith in this school district is absolutely gone. This is as blatant a display of hypocrisy & racism as I've ever seen, and the attempt to pass it off as anything less is an absolute insult to anyone's intelligence.

[Mary]

Where are our values in the state of Texas? A former president & his wife touting football is more important than hearing a sitting president explain why a good education is beneficial to both the student & their country? So sad to see what we have come to and where our values lie. I really feel bad for my grandkids. :(

[Suzanne]

Doesn't this fall under the description of unmitigated gall? I heard/read several really lame excuses from other school districts for not showing the President's speech, but this action of AISD tops them all! When the President of the United States is shown no respect, it is an insult.

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1374981909]

Bush, busses, and a stadium... are we sure we want to send the children????

[T Lewis]

I have spent the last dollar in Arlington that I ever will. The new new place of worship they robbed people of their homes for - aka Jones Ego Stadium - was egregious enough, but this made my decision final. Arlington is off limits for my dollars.

[jjcomet]

Maybe the AISD doesn't *want* their students to hear the message that they should stay in school and get an education. It's a whole lot easier to pull crap like this when the citizenry are a bunch of ignorant yahoos who think football is the most important thing in life. A city of 350,000 with no public transit system, where the voters increase their own taxes to build stadiums for rich sports franchise owners, and now this. It's as if Arlington is desperately trying to make the list of most backward cities in the U.S.

[DAKOTA]

Well, well, well. I live in the state that has raised hypocrisy to its highest, most perfect form. I mean, folks, that SC has held the trophy for years. Now comes along TX trying to compete and take the trophy from SC. Damn, with this latest stunt, I think that TX is closing in on SC.

[Annielee]

Arlington ISD should be ashamed. I can't think of any reason why a school district in the United States of America would deny school children the right to hear from the leader of their country. Well, I can think of one reason....

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1410713986]

Before President Obama's scheduled speech to the American children, I heard so many people claiming it was against their rights to make their children listen to Obama....I even saw tearful pleads and pure hatred towards our President. Those of us that wanted our children to see it, did not have a choice. That right was taken away by AISD. My children and I watched the video after school and all of us felt inspired by his words. The real shame lies with the fact that the children that would benefit most from Obama's speech will probably never see or hear it. Especially at a time when we are fighting (and using alot of manpower and taxpayer dollars) to keep kids in school and lower the dropout rate. Our pulic schools have a duty to present a full education to our children and not take a political side. Teachers must have open minds, if you want to educate children with open minds.

I say "no" to the Cowboy Stadium Field Trip....where is the educational value? Waste of time for everyone involved. Would you allow my child to miss school to attend this event? NO! McCullough needs to do some serious rethinking on this idea!

[How To Build Credit]

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