The dreaded school assembly

Republicans who criticized President Obama's speech to the nation's school children are likely to have their own public appearances scrutinized.

For instance, Democratic campaign officials were sending around information about Republican Congresswoman Judy Biggert recently reading to children at a suburban pediatric center and stressing the importance of reading. And last year Biggert was conducting a workshop at a suburban high school touting Web safety (also a topic Obama touched on Tuesday).

Why is that relevent? Because earlier this month she released a statement calling on Obama to release his classroom speech early and fearing it would be politically themed.
“With no opportunity to review the text of the President’s remarks, it’s little wonder why parents and educators are concerned that the Administration could be sending kids a thinly-veiled political lesson rather than simply encouraging students to fulfill their potential. Already, I’ve heard from parents who feel compelled to keep their children at home. This is exactly why the federal government rightfully steers away from dictating educational agendas to local schools," Biggert said in a news release earlier this month.

Democrats claim she's being a hypcrite.

Biggert's people say Democrats are stretching.
"There simply is no comparison between the President's address to
schoolrooms around the country and our local Congresswoman reading to
toddlers and their parents in a pediatric waiting room or teaching
students web safety at an extracurricular event. And people know the
difference," said spokesman Zachary Cikenak.

"Congresswoman Biggert is a former school board president, and a mother
of four, who has worked throughout her career to improve the educational
experience of America's children. What campaign operatives at the DCCC
seem to be missing is that she agrees with the President's goal of
teaching about the importance of education. In fact, the statement
cited by the DCCC indicates exactly that in the very first line.

Rep. Biggert's concern here is about respecting the role of local
educators and parents when determining classroom agendas and lesson
plans. When Rep. Biggert has visited students in the classroom, it has
been at the invitation of the school, part of the teacher's own
curriculum, and with the knowledge -- and often physical presence -- of
parents. In the case of Reach Out and Read, a federally-sponsored
initiative, she read to toddlers and their parents at a children's
health care facility to help encourage reading at home.

In this case, upset parents and local educators had voiced concerns that
they had been left out of the process. It's clear that the
Administration agreed that some of these objections had merit, which is
why they amended the suggested lesson plans and released a speech --
albeit only one day ahead of the event."

So what does this all mean? Expect a great deal of media dn political scrutiny of both school districts and politicians the next time a lawmaker or public official talks to a school assembly or commencement ceremony.