Superintendent faces angry public over Obama education speech decision

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY – School Superintendent Harry La Cava drew the ire of many of the approximately 90 residents at the Indian River County School Board meeting Tuesday night for his decision to delay the showing of President Barack Obama’s national speech on education until it could be reviewed for content.

“Dr. La Cava, you have failed our students,” said the first of nine to address the school board and the superintendent. “You should be dismissed.”

Those in the audience punctuated the speakers’ comments with shouts of “Amen!” and applause and, as the audience dispersed, a couple shouted “Resign.” Another speaker added that she felt that the School District had failed to practice what it had been teaching children just last week – that “character counts.” Especially the trait, the speaker said, of trustworthiness and standing “by your friends, your family and your country. We did not stand by the leader of the free world. Who are you? How dare you? I must be in China or France or some other foreign country.”

Prior to public comments, Dr. La Cava addressed the board and the audience to explain how he came to his decision not to air the president’s speech live. During his explanation, he said that the students would be allowed to watch it Wednesday morning during first period and that, in his opinion, the message’s impact would not be diminished.

“The damage has already been done,” said public speaker Mark Manera. “The kids found out today that the president wasn’t good enough.”

“It will not have the same impact,” he added, explaining that by the next day, the students will have already heard bits and pieces of the speech and that others were allowed to see it live and they weren’t.

Other speakers noted that many times instruction time is disrupted for non-educational purposes, including candy selling and pitches by class rings sales people.

“We’re always disrupting classes,” one speaker said, who also added that guest speakers go to classes and schools all the time, but their messages are not always known prior to their arrival.

The district’s decision on President Obama’s speech served as a wake up call for one parent who told the board that up until this point she had not taken much notice of school board matters. “This has definitely opened my eyes,” she said.

Toward the end of the meeting, after the majority of the audience had left, the board members were granted time to comment on the controversy.

Chairwoman Carol Johnson addressed Dr. La Cava, telling him that she knows that he will work to address the issues that arose during the meeting. Whether those issues include reviewing board policies he cited as reasons for not airing the president’s speech was not addressed.

“I will take the blame,” said board member Karen Disney-Brombach, explaining that she is one-fifth of those who had hired Dr. La Cava. “We can take the heat.”

Board member Claudia Jimenez echoed the comments she gave VeroNews.com over the Labor Day holiday, noting that she did not support Dr. La Cava’s decision and that she felt the decision did not send a positive message to the students.

“I don’t fault Dr. La Cava,” said board member Debbie MacKay, who went on to say that the superintendent had made his decision under duress. “It shouldn’t have been a controversial issue in the first place.”

Board member Matt McCain refrained from offering a position on Dr. La Cava’s decision not to air the presidential address live.

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