Collier and Lee Counties in Florida will not air the president's speech.

[madfloridian]

Both are in very conservative Southwest Florida, and home to a large population of religious fundamentalists. Collier County is home to Naples, and Lee County is the Ft. Myers area.

They don't want the delicate little ears of their children corrupted by President Obama.

POLL: Presidential or ‘propaganda?’ Collier, Lee schools won’t show Obama’s address to students

President Barack Obama has a message for students.

But kids in Collier and Lee counties won’t hear it in school.

That was the decision both school districts made Thursday in anticipation of the president’s speech to students, which is scheduled to be broadcast to schools across America at noon Tuesday.

The decision comes as Republican critics across the country are calling the speech an effort to foist a political agenda on children, creating yet another confrontation with the White House.

Obama is scheduled to address students on the importance of taking responsibility for their success, according to a statement from the White House. The United States Department of Education will also provide resources to classrooms that were developed by and for teachers to “engage students and stimulate discussion about persisting and succeeding in school.”

I guess I should not be surprised. We have friends in the Ft. Myers area who much in agreement with such silly posturing as this.

And I guess that Naples in Collier County is under the influence of Tom Monaghan and his city called Ave Maria, Florida.

Rick Santorum tells Ave Maria University students they are "warriors for God"


Picture courtesy of Aesthetic Grounds

As the guest speaker at Ave Maria University's fall convocation August 29, Sen. Rick Santorum described the sources of what he called a "spiritual war" currently engulfing America. He told faculty and students at the Catholic college in Naples, Fla. that corruption is all around us, from our academics and culture, to politics and government. Even our nation's religious heritage and material prosperity have been corrupted to undermine the values on which America was founded, and "exterior attacks from radical Islam" complete the assault. Observing the current political climate he said, "This is not a political war, it is not a cultural war; it's a spiritual war."

...Explaining what he calls a "spiritual war," Sen. Santorum said, "The Father of Lies has his sights on what you would think the Father of Lies would have his sights on - a good, decent, powerful, influential country: the United States of America."

Among the institutions under spiritual attack, Sen. Santorum identified academia as the "first to fall." Our university students are being taught to "pursue no truths, or to deny the existence of truth," he said. Mr. Santorum said American has abandoned the Judeo-Christian ethic it was founded on. Consequently in his view a culture in which "poor behavior is made fashionable," has been Satan's subsequent success.

"Things are so bad and you are here," he said triumphantly. "God has chosen you to be here in a time when he needs soldiers the most; congratulations! ....The greatest thing is, signing up for His army is easy," he said, "but, the money's lousy, you'll be unpopular, you'll be ridiculed and you'll lose most if not every one of your battles."

I am checking with a couple of counties near where I live, but I can't get through to their offices yet.

This makes me sick.

[RockaFowler]

1. Add Martin, too

You would think because that darn county is between Palm Beach and St Lucie it would be more Progressive, but nope. Not Martin. That is the most bass-ackwards county on the East Coast. They vote constantyl against their best interests. Thank God I live in St Lucie County.

This is such BS. He is the President. All kids should be able to listen to him!!

[madfloridian]

2. Martin, Collier, Lee....and waiting to get through on others.

Thanks.

[Altoid_Cyclist]

3. When it comes to narrow minded idiots, it's hard to surpass Santorum.

At least he's not Pennsylvanias' problem anymore. I just feel sorry for the rest of the country now that he has more time to travel.

[Kalyke]

4. Liberal, Dem and Indie parents should keep their children at home, then.

Say they want their kid to watch the speech and, since the school can't be bothered to inform children about the one thing that effects them most - education - then you're going to keep your child at home so they can, you know, LEARN something.

[imdjh]

5. I love Ave Maria Florida.

I hope he spends every dollar he has on it. May it be the next Lehigh Acres.

[madfloridian]

6. Brevard County School Board says let students hear president. Palm Beach Co will air speech.

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20090904/NEWS01/909040331/1006/news01/Let%20students%20hear%20Obama%20school%20board%20urges%20parents

"The Brevard County School Board urged parents Thursday night to cast aside their political differences and allow their children to hear a message from President Barack Obama that will be live streamed into some classrooms next week."

"The board diverted from a scheduled budget hearing to discuss Obama's address. Board members, district staff and principals have been bombarded with e-mails from parents who don't want their child to hear the Tuesday speech.

"When you get an uproar like this, you are sending a terrible message to students that you are intolerant," said Robert Jordan, chairman of the board. "There is no way that we as American people are going to continue to grow if we continue to fight each other on everything we do."

[madfloridian]

7. Pinellas, Polk Counties offer opt outs.

Polk is very conservative, and having Southeastern University, formerly Southeastern Bible College there would have a big influence.

Here is more.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orange/orl-asecobama-speech-schools-090409090409sep04,0,900047.story

"Lake County School Board member Cindy Barrow said she doesn't understand such views.

"I think that it is a sad state of affairs when people are upset about their children watching the president of the United States on television talking to them about education," Barrow said. "... Education is a nonpartisan issue."

The Seminole and Orange County school districts said they would allow parents to keep their children from watching Obama's speech if their class is viewing it. Lake County schools likely will do the same. Volusia hadn't made a decision as of late Thursday.

Osceola schools will not show the broadcast live, in part because of "bandwidth limitations," but will record it and show it "where appropriate" as part of social-studies lessons, according to a statement on the county's Web site.

In Orange, whether the broadcast is shown will be up to each teacher "if it works in his or her curriculum," said spokesman Kathy Marsh. If parents don't want their children to see it, teachers can provide an alternative lesson, much as they do when a parent objects to an assigned book, she said.

In Seminole, parents can also opt out — or request that their children be able to view the broadcast, said Superintendent Bill Vogel. But logistically, Vogel added, the broadcast poses a challenge because it is at noon, when many students are at lunch.

Other Florida districts, including Pinellas and Polk, are also offering parents an opt-out. But Broward County administrators decided students would watch the speech, unless their school or class had a previously scheduled event."

[espiral]

8. I love how they trot out the "Judeo-Christian" canard

...as if there were anything even remotely Jewish, rather than fundamentalist Protestant, about anything they ever have to say...

[madfloridian]

9. Kick for idiocy

.