Update: email conversation between myself and the principal

HER RESPONSE:

Hi Diane,

Thank you for your email. At the elementary level, we will implementing the regular curriculum on September 8th. My understanding is that courses that address current events, at the secondary level, will be more apt to show the president's speech on Tuesday. I intend to view the speech and incorporate the message of setting goals and hard work in my "assemblies" with the students on Thursday.

Mrs. S.

MY RESPONSE:

Thank you for your response. I'm disappointed that you're not showing it to at least the older grades because last year the kids were actively engaged in the presidential election - including a mock election and writing essays on what they would do as President - and I think this would be a good opportunity for them to see more about the presidency and its impact on America at a level that they could understand. I fully intend to watch this with Hannah at home on YouTube but unfortunately the content of this message won't be reaching the students at Memorial who might need this most. If parents fail their students the school should be there to fill in the gap. I fear that in this incidence both the parents and school may be failing our children.

I realize that this issue is a landmine of political sensitivity since so many parents are objecting to its content based merely on the messenger and not the message itself, and that there really hasn't been time to get the approval of the parents, but I think that the video should be given, at bare minimum, review and consideration to be aired for the children at a later date with the grade appropriate discussion.

diane