PSEA President urges schools to allow students to view President Obama’s address

PSEA President Jim Testerman issued the following statement about Tuesday's Presidential Address to American students: “President Obama’s planned speech to America’s schoolchildren next week is an opportunity for students to participate in democracy. It should not be politicized by the President’s opponents."

“The president’s address will focus on persisting and succeeding in school. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the President will challenge students to work hard, set goals, and take responsibility for their education.

“The event is an excellent learning opportunity for children. The U.S. Department of Education is offering classroom activities to educators to coordinate with the speech.

“PSEA believes all students should be able to see the address and judge its merits for themselves. We urge school districts not to censor the event, but use it as a chance to teach children the importance of becoming participants in our democracy.”

In the news

PSEA Treasurer Jerry Oleksiak appeared on Fox 29 Philadelphia on the morning of September 8 to discuss the address and encourage schools to let students tune in:

View the news coverage here

About the President's Address

President Obama addressed students across the nation at noon on September 8, 2009. The address was broadcast live on the White House Web site (www.whitehouse.gov/live/) and on C-SPAN at 12:00 p.m., ET. The president challenged students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning.

Downloadable video and transcripts of the speech is available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/mediaresources/ as well as on www.ed.gov. C-SPAN.org provides archived and “on-demand” viewing options.

More information about the address and additional resources are available on the U.S. Department of Education website.