Reply #43: This one, however, is not unrelated:

[Xipe Totec]

Seven months after President Obama delivered a televised back-to- school address, the State Board of Education told an English teacher at Winnisquam Regional High School that the district did not violate his academic freedom and due process rights by barring him from showing the speech live to his students.

Neal Byles, who teaches English language and composition, journalism and media analysis, cited speeches by past presidents that were shown or delivered at the school in arguing that he should have been allowed to show the live speech.

He also argued that he was wrongfully denied a hearing with the local school board to appeal the superintendent's decision not to show it.

Obama's Sept. 8 address encouraged students to study hard and dream big. Beforehand, conservative leaders had worried about the speech potentially indoctrinating students.

"I think we can all agree that it was something of a sleeper, as the content of the speech was pretty bland," said John Teague, the district's attorney.

Before the speech, Superintendent Tammy Davis said she received 15 to 20 calls from parents concerned about their children viewing it. State Education Commissioner Virginia Barry sent out an e-mail to superintendents advising them to use their own discretion in deciding whether to show the address...


http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/concord-monitor/mi_8038/is_20100415/state-foul-barring-obama/ai_n53232974