INDIAN RIVER COUNTY – More than three dozen members of the Indian River County NAACP, the county’s Pastor Association, the Democratic Executive Committee and other county residents stood outside the Indian River County School District’s main building Tuesday morning chanting “Why?” and waving signs with the same message in hopes of swaying school leaders to air President Obama’s speech live to the school children in the district.
“It doesn’t look likely,” said Rachael Carson-Zerbe, of Vero Beach, while holding her 4 1/2-month-old daughter, MaryJane. The mother-daughter team joined with approximately 40 others near the district office’s parking lot on 25th Street holding signs that said “Why?” on one side and had a picture of the American Flag and “God Bless America” on the other.
There appeared to be little interaction between the protesters and district employees. Occasionally, drivers passing by would toot their vehicles’ horns – in support to or opposition of the protesters was unclear.
St. Peter’s Academy Director Dr. Andrew Jefferson said the charter school plans to air the presidential address live for its students.
“There’s no debate,” he said. “It needs to be shown.”
Dr. Jefferson said that he had not reviewed the president’s script, adding that he didn’t need to. Citing quotes from the speech that have been in the media, Dr. Jefferson said he knew the speech was something he wanted his students to see.
“That was good enough for me,” he said.
The School District Superintendent Dr. Harry La Cava decided last week that the district would not air the speech live because the district didn’t have enough time to review the content of the speech.
Some school board members have expressed support of Dr. La Cava, telling VeroNews.com over the Labor Day holiday that school board policies dictate that the district must review such materials first and that Dr. La Cava has the authority to decide whether or not to air the speech live.
“What does it tell our kids?” Dr. Jefferson asked about the message the district is sending them about the president.
Rachael Carson-Zorbe agreed, adding that she has read the president’s speech and did not see anything wrong with it.
“I thought it was amazing,” she said.
Harry Davis, vice president of the Indian River County chapter of the NAACP, said that other presidents have been allowed to address school children in their classrooms.
“Why not Obama’s speech?” he asked.
He said that he doesn’t believe that the district’s decision was based solely on the policies the district cites.
“I think it’s political,” he said, and that it shows a lack of support for the president.
He also said he wonders why the district thinks the president might “tell the children something wrong.”
“This is the president,” Davis said.