INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Opponents of the school superintendent’s decision not to let students see President Barack Obama’s nationally televised back-to-school speech live, lashed out at him Tuesday night.

“You have chosen to put politics in front of good citizenship and good patriotism,” Vero Beach resident Peter Hyatt said during a public comment period at the beginning of a school board meeting.

Hyatt called for Schools Superintendent Harry La Cava’s resignation.

Board members took no action following speeches by about 10 people.

Shortly before noon Tuesday, La Cava announced that students can hear a recording of Obama’s speech during their Wednesday morning first-period class.

School district administrators decided Friday they wouldn’t allow the broadcast to be shown live in school because they wanted to review its content and the Labor Day Holiday got in the way.

Prior to the school board meeting, School Board Chairwoman Carol Johnson said she supported the superintendent’s decision. She cited school policy as saying that no one can speak to students, even the President, without school officials knowing the content.

“It was a tough decision,” La Cava said.

School Board Member Debbie MacKay said she didn’t fault the superintendent.

Yet, said MacKay, “How on Earth could a parent not want a kid to hear the president? It is the President of the United States, not a political party.”

Osceola, Polk and Lake county school districts also didn’t air the speech live, according to the school district’s attorney, Larry “Usher” Brown. “This is a controversial issue” that included considering disruption of schools.

Protests of the decision began early Tuesday morning with about 40 people gathering with signs outside the school district’s office. Group representatives from the NAACP, the county Democratic Executive Committee and the county Pastors Association met with La Cava.

Before the school board meeting, Sebastian resident David VanGinhoven stood outside school district offices with a sign saying “I kept my kids home to hear our president.”

He is a general contractor and a Republican who said he is ashamed by the furor over the president’s speech.

VanGinhoven said he felt people opposed to the speech were saying they will not take advice from a black person, even if he is the president.

Althea McKenzie came to the school board meeting with her two children, Alyana, 6, and Alex, 8.

“We afford children the opportunity to say the Pledge of Allegiance, but we do not trust the president?” she said. “The school board should have had the courage to do the right thing and allow live presentation of the president’s speech.

Military veteran Anthony Brown, of Gifford, said, “I am so hurt by the decision. You have no right to censor. You have the unmitigated gall to say Barack Obama is not suitable for my children.

“No matter how you dress it is up this is partisan,” Brown said. “You have sent the wrong message.”

The text of the speech is on the district’s Web site, www.indian-river.k12.fl.us.

Elliott Jones

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