BOULDER – After consulting with two of the district’s assistant superintendents for school leadership, Dr. Deirdre Pilch (secondary level) and Sandy Ripplinger (K-8 and elementary levels), the Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) Superintendent’s Office notified school principals of the district’s approach to President Barack Obama’s scheduled speech to U.S. schoolchildren on Tuesday, September 8, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. (MDT). That approach is:

• The decision whether to allow the viewing of the President’s speech and at what grade level to allow viewing is an individual school principal’s decision. If a principal decides to allow viewing of the speech, it will then be the decision of affected individual classroom teachers as to whether they will allow viewing in their classroom.
• Should viewing be allowed in a classroom, a parent who does not want their student(s) to watch can request an alternate learning activity be provided and the school will provide that activity.
• Parents will be notified by their student’s school by Friday, September 4 whether viewing will be allowed in the school and, if so, at which grade level(s).
• BVSD Board Policy INB, “The Teaching of Controversial Issues,” as it may apply, should serve as a guide in decision making by principals and teachers.
• While BVSD is urging all students to attend school September 8, a parent may ask for and receive an excused absence for their student(s) if they wish.

BVSD Administration regrets the short notice regarding this matter, however, the district only learned of the President’s plans yesterday (9/2/2009) through the media.