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GoogleBoard President Art Madden brought the issue to the board after reading a transcript of the speech.
"I read it over, and I was impressed," Madden said. "When it comes to education, he is on target."
Madden said that he appreciated the speech's main points, although he is not often politically aligned with the President.
School officials chose not to have students watch the speech live because there was not sufficient time to review its contents and get parental consent, Madden said.
At another point in the meeting, Madden also encouraged teachers to have students write cards to legislators.
"They love getting letters from kids," he said.
In other business, the board heard a report from counselor Erica Simms. She spoke about the school's new efforts toward character development, called "Tiger traits."
The trait for this month is goal-setting, Simms said, and many teachers are incorporating it into their lesson plans. Students also attend a monthly assembly to learn about the character trait.
"We're excited about the character education program," Simms said.
Simms also spoke to the board on behalf of Community Teacher Association. The association has decided to present monthly reports to the school board.
In her report, Simms mentioned that many teachers are concerned about career ladder funding, which may not be provided by the state this year due to budget constraints.
"We're asking that the board still supports their 40 percent of career ladder," she said.
Career ladder payments are awarded to teachers who, after their fifth year of teaching, provide additional hours of student contact outside the classroom, often in the form of tutoring or lessons.
Superintendent Melissa Vesser told board members that Principal Roger Feagan was absent from the meeting due to illness, with the same symptoms many Malta Bend students displayed earlier in the month, which caused the school to close for health reasons.
She read a letter from state Commissioner of Education Chris Nicastro, which warned schools, "We will be forced to make unprecedented cuts" in state education funding this year unless economic conditions improve. The commissioner recommended that schools begin making lists of expenses they are willing to cut.
"I've already started responding" to the letter's request, Vesser said. She added, "I would encourage the staff to be proactive" by contacting state representatives and showing support for education.
Vesser also gave the board an update on the school's computers. Some of the units were struck by lightening and damaged on a teacher workday. Vesser said she doesn't know the extent of the damage yet, but the insurance deductible for repairs is $500.
Teacher Zach Harvey has also been working to update the school's computers, Vesser said. Currently, about 48 units are available for student access.
In action items, the board approved Simms as the school's educational liaison for children in foster care. There are no such children at Malta Bend currently, Vesser said, but appointing a liaison is a state regulation.
Board members also approved an extracurricular activity tutoring policy.
The policy outlines procedures for students who are involved in extracurricular activities but also have poor grades. The policy states that students may continue to participate in their activities as long as they attend tutoring, which takes priority, to improve their grades.
"We're trying to get some emphasis on the academics," Vesser said.
The board voted to allow teacher Terry Jenkins to pursue the development of a trap shooting team for FFA students.
"I think it's a good opportunity for our kids," Vesser said, adding that the cost to the school is quite minimal.
In other business, Madden presided over the development of a committee to review extra-duty pay for teachers. Vesser, Feagan and board member Jackie Plattner will be on the committee, as well as one teacher.
Board members Doreena Forqueran, Mindy Rigby and Casey Klein were also present at the meeting.
The board is next scheduled to meet Thursday, Oct. 8, at 7 p.m. in the school library.
Contact Sydney Stonner at marshallbusiness@socket.net
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I think we are missing the point here. Its not an issue of race it is about giving parents the right to choose whether or not they want their students to watch the speech. In the sue happy society we live in I think it is only an extra precaution!
It was to my understanding that President Obama wanted children to give their input and ideas to him. Is this as you say "help" to see things through our youth's eyes, it is their future? Kids have much insight on things that adults overlook.I commend him as our President and a father who is in touch with young people.....
I think it was utterly ridiculous that a school board became involved about viewing the President's speech. At least the HS history classes had the right...it may have inspired an educational discussion in class!
I wonder what the MB teachers thought about this directive from the board? Let teachers teach they are the experts not the neighborhood local yocals...remember this is the board that hired a fellow board member that was still a member and ran again for her seat on the school board. Well knowing she was to sign a teaching contract. All against board policies. This board in the past has not exhibited well thought out decisions.
The problem was Obama was going to have children write letters as to how they were going to help him. Help him with what...... The Obama administration changed this after the plan was found out so we will never know what the original speech was. This issue has nothing to do with race George H. speech and Reagans were about physical fitness nothing to do with politics. George W. was reading a children's book to one classroom, where he was invited.
Im sick and tired of people being labeled a rascist because they didn't vote for or agree with the current administrations policies. I'm sure there would have been alot more republicans then liberals would want to believe that would have voted for Powell or Rice if they would have run.
nancy007....nice "For What It's Worth" reference there. One of the coolest "protest" songs of the 60s.
blah,blah, blah,tons of problems, to many to even think about!!!lots of people carrying signs mostly saying hooray for our side!!get a life the sky is falling
I distinctly remember Democrats, after GHW Bush's address to school children, doing things like having investigations and having congressional hearings.... strange that people cannot remember that. It was on Oct 1, 1991. Rep. William Ford, then chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, ordered the General Accounting Office to investigate the cost and legality of Bush's appearance.
You'd have to ask someone who was on the board at the time whether speeches by Presidents Reagan and Bush were broadcast live within the school. I can't answer that.
I think everyone is too quick to call it a black/white issue. The far right was trying to portray the speech as an attempt to influence young people in a way that would best serve the President's interest. I certainly didn't agree with that position and the resulting speech made it clear that their fears were unfounded. But...by no fault of the board, the speech had become an issue and I don't fault them for their action.
Outsider, does the Board consider the "opinion and potential reaction" of parents on other school speakers (including teachers)? My guess is that they do not. Another question: Did the Board do the same with the speeches given by Presidents Bush and Reagan? My guess is also probably not. If they have problems with the President because he is black, then "man up" and say so!
The school board wasn't passing judgement on the president or the speech. Some controversy, not of their making, had occured elsewhere and what they DID have to consider was the opinion and potential reaction of any parent who may have actually been opposed to it.
Anyone who feels that it's easy to guess every parent's reaction to something that concerns their child should serve on a school board themself somdeay.
It is still amazing to me that the Board of Ed of Malta Bend is passing judgement on the President of the United States. Who do they think that they are? The voters need to turn out the current Board of Education and get someone else. If it wasn't for the radical right on talk radio this would not have been any issue. The radicals on the right and left have just about created a second cival war. This is just a bunch of compost. Shame on the radicals who want to pass judgement on the President and want to further divide our country.
The first President Bush spoke to school children and it was fine. President Reagan spoke to school children and it was fine. The second President Bush was reading to children 8 years ago this morning and that was fine. President Obama spoke to school children and there was a firestorm. Why the different treatment? Could it be because the first three were white and the last is not? If not, what other excuse can there be? I'm just asking!
Third Child,
I'll apologize for nothing! This president has done nothing, zilch, zero to warrant the way he's been treated. Much of it ,as we saw during his speech the other night is unprecedented and he is our first black president.
I do think that alot of the hysteria of late is that some people cannot handle the fact the we have a black president and they won't admit it, even to themselves but they will go out of thier way to find any conceiveable means to attack be it real or imagined. I apologize for nothing!
WTF - and Tito and yogagirl - ditto and amen... it is absurdly ludicrous to ignore the obvious - no one 'previewed' Reagan's speech for 'appropriateness'...
*School officials chose not to have students watch the speech live because there was not sufficient time to review its contents and get parental consent, Madden said.*
Good for Malta Bend!
It's good to hear about a school that respects the people they work for. I don't think these kids are going to be harmed in any way by waiting an extra day for the memorex of Obama's speech.
They can watch it on TV or the internet anyway.
WTF: playing the race card on every little thing is getting very tiresome. You ought to give it up. You sound like a broken record and it's a poor tactic that I'm thinking is more racist than those you accuse. You probably should apologize, IMHO.
Amen What the F...
Does anyone remember what the Bush was doing the minute the planes went into the Trade Center. He was at an elementary school "reading" to the kids. No one had a problem with that.
Oh and I'm just throwing this in there.
Like 14 of the 18 or so highjackers were Saudi.
None were Iraqi and I don't think any were from Afghanistan either. And yet we went to war with both countries. This was the time to stand up and yell. Not at town meetings about trying to come to a solution on health care for crying out loud.
American citizen's have no balls anymore.
Yep, pockets of suppression. A little ECT wouldn't be a bad thing for some.
Parental consent to view the President of the United States? What was to be censored? When do parents need to be asked to view a historical speech that could well fit into the curriculum....what a load of BS...why even print this article????
Not sufficient time to review. What a load of.......
This would not even be an issue if it were a white republican president.