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.
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Students at Weatherbee Elementary in Fort Pierce watched President Obama’s speech in their classrooms this afternoon a couple of hours after it was broadcast live. Fourth-graders in Katie Robinson’s class were asked to write letters to the president, telling him about themselves and giving advice.

Many asked that he revise the dress code in St. Lucie County — Roberto Barrera, 10, wrote: “My advice to you is please no more dress code” — while others poured their hearts out about their families and personal troubles.

Azariah Murray, 9, asked the president to help his family by making “more stuff free” and making food more available. He also put in a request that jeans be allowed again at school. He also advised Obama to eat one piece of candy to help him work harder, but to remember to brush his teeth afterward.

Mendie Fleurine, 11, gave Obama this advice: “Never give up. Do your best. Never listen to someone that never appreciates you for who you are.”

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VERO BEACH - Cynthia Johnson, center, of Vero Beach, holds up her sign while protesting outside of the Indian River County School District offices on Tuesday morning in Vero Beach. (Sam Wolfe, TCPalm.com correspondent)

School officials announced Thursday that School Board policy requires the broadcast be first taped and reviewed to determine whether the material is educationally relevant. The decision outraged several residents, some calling the decision racist.

A group of about 40 people — made up of pastors, residents and others — early today showed up at the School Board office to protest the decision. They chanted and held signs throughout the morning in an attempt to persuade officials to reverse the decision.

One of the lead organizers was the Rev. Donald Brown, president of the Pastorial Association of Indian River County. He said the decision was “embarassing and disturbing to me.”

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INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Local ministers, NAACP officials and Democrats say they will go to school board offices early Tuesday in an attempt to persuade officials to reverse a decision to not allow students to hear President Barack Obama’s live noon speech on education.

The Indian River County Democratic Executive Committee announced it plans for a “large group” of pehaps more than 50 people to gather outside School Board offices to protest the decision.

“How is it that the Indian River County School District can take it upon itself to censor the president of the United States of America?” said the Rev. Vernon Reason, a member of the Indian River County Pastor’s Association.

Reason said leaders for the group of about 18 churches met Sunday after learning that Indian River County schools would not air the program live.

School officials announced Thursday that School Board policy requires the broadcast be first taped and reviewed to determine if the material is educationally relevant.

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