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GREENSBORO — School system officials say President Barack Obama’s speech caused no problems Tuesday at schools where students watched it.

Guilford County Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green told principals last week they should make the speech available to any students who wanted to see it — and make arrangements for those who did not.

Controversy arose over the speech well in advance. Some said they feared Obama would use the speech to spin his political agenda to children.

It is not known how many students — if any — were kept home or withdrawn from school early because of the speech.

Obama spoke shortly after noon from Wakefield High in Arlington, Va. In his speech, the president urged students to do well in school, to turn away from bad behavior and to achieve in spite of adversity.

Few in Tasha Wall’s fifth-grade class at Irving Park Elementary took their eyes off the TV during the speech.

“I just think it was very interesting of him to come to a school and have a speech about staying in school and always doing your best,” said Mason Ettefagh, one of Wall’s students.

The speech sounded like most speeches directed at kids, but Wall said hearing it from Obama was something different.
“They hear it from us all the time — their teachers, their parents — but this is the president speaking to them,” she said.

John Shearin, a civics teacher at High Point’s Andrews High, echoed Wall’s thoughts about the speech. He changed his lesson plan for the day to coincide with the speech and had students discuss the various duties of the president, including his role as the nation’s leader.

Shearin asked students in his civics and economics class why Obama’s speech was important.

Because “we need some inspiration and encouragement,” said 16-year-old sophomore Kenquala Dunlap. “You have to have education wherever you go.”

Sophomore Jake Hagler, 15, said the speech was “pretty good.”

“I thought it inspired teenagers like myself to do better,” he said.

Hagler said he particularly connected with Obama when he talked about never giving up and staying committed.

“It made me look forward to graduation and going on to college,” Hagler said.

Although the president’s speech generated political controversy early, it was not out of line with previous White House administrations.

Several presidents have given speeches to schoolchildren, including Republicans George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan.

Michael Picarelli has two children at Irving Park. As an active Republican, Picarelli said he was among those concerned about the speech. He got behind the speech, however, after reading an advance copy Monday on the Internet.

“After reading it online, I encouraged it and encouraged my children to pay attention to it,” he said.

Picarelli decided to watch the speech with his children at Irving Park, in part to make sure teachers didn’t take the opportunity to espouse their political views either.

“To me, there wasn’t any hidden agenda at Irving Park,” he said.

Wall asked her students to listen for what Obama was trying to tell them, what specific jobs he wanted them to do and what else he asked of others.

After the president’s speech, Wall went over the questions and most of the students didn’t miss a beat.

“What did he ask you to do?” she asked.

“Not to bully,” one student said.

“Never give up,” another student said.

For other students, the president’s remarks about the importance of good hygiene during the flu season resonated soundly.
Their takeaway from Obama’s speech: “Wash your hands.”

Staff writer Jennifer Fernandez contributed to this report.

Contact J. Brian Ewing at 373-7351 or brian.ewing@news-record.com