South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

Delighted to see letter supporting Simpson’s decision on Obama speech

To the editor:

I was delighted to read in the most recent issue of the Call a letter from Ms. Jernigan in support of Lindbergh Superintendent Jim Simpson’s decision to not broadcast President Barack Obama’s speech in Lindbergh classrooms.

I was not going to insist my high school kids opt out, but I did type up a note for each of them giving them my permission to opt out if they chose.

I am more than willing for them to watch such a broadcast in their U.S. government and politics or U.S. law and society classes, where they can discuss it and analyze it.

Their teacher even said at an open house the week before that he intended to watch it before showing it to students to make sure it was in line with the class curriculum. That seems to be a very responsible approach.

It occurs to me, and I’ve shared this perspective with Dr. Simpson, that any other time our child’s school day is going to include something out of the ordinary, we have to opt them in. I have to sign permission slips for field trips and for viewing certain movies. We have to register for our senior students to visit college reps on Lindbergh’s own campus. We have to send written permission for our child to ride home on a different bus with a friend. We have to sign a form giving them permission to access the Internet at school. Don’t they even have to have a hall pass to go to the restroom during class time?

Why not put the burden on the parents who want their children’s academic day to be disrupted in order to watch the next presidential speech to opt them in rather than the rest of us having to opt ours out?

The kids can turn their letters into the office as they arrive at school and the staff will have time to determine what size space they will need to accommodate the crowd — a large gym or a small corner of the library.

Anita Zolman

Concord

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