Harford County Public Schools never planned to censor President Barack Obama’s September 8th address to the nation’s school children, but did not air the speech live so that plans could be made to use the speech appropriately, according to Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Roger Plunkett.
While acknowledging that communications from HCPS could have been “worded differently” to better convey the school system’s intentions, Plunkett told The Dagger that there had been a “misunderstanding” and that the President’s address was always going to be shown to all students. But he said the short time frame available for planning meaningful classroom activities, along with technology constraints, led HCPS to use recorded copies of the speech instead. Plunkett said principals were given some discretion as to the exact timing, but all students would view the speech by the close of school Thursday, except in cases where parents sent a note to school to opt their children out.
Plunkett said he first became aware of the President’s address last Wednesday and that some Harford principals had also received emails from outside HCPS about the speech.
Unconfirmed reports have indicated that the U.S. Department of Education sent information about the speech directly to principals nationwide, including proposed classroom activities which are also posted on the federal department’s website.
Plunkett said HCPS has since aligned those proposed classroom activities with the local curriculum. The activities were posted on the school system’s website late Tuesday.
Regarding the decision to record the President’s speech rather than air it live, Plunkett said it was considered a curriculum issue, but that he made the decision in consultation with other members of senior staff and with the final approval of Superintendent Robert Tomback.
The school board did not vote on the decision and has not had a meeting since news of the speech broke last week. The next board business meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 14th at 7 p.m. the HCPS Administration Building in Bel Air.
We were told that it is now mandatory that all students have the opportunity to see the speech. Tomorrow, all students will be shown the speech in their advisory classes–a class for which they do not receive a grade–and will participate in a lesson generated by the school system. Tell me these are meaningful classroom activities.
Maybe if they were done in the appropriate classes on the day the speech was given, sure. This county-wide mandate is just an afterthought to try and fix just another central office blunder.
If you ask me, the teachable moment has been lost.
“Regarding the decision to record the President’s speech rather than air it live, Plunkett said it was considered a curriculum issue, but that he made the decision in consultation with other members of senior staff and with the final approval of Superintendent Robert Tomback”
To me this is very confusing, who actually is making the decisions when it comes to this event; Plunket is not only being quote here on Dagger Press, but he also quote on the local media. It seems like even in this situation, when it comes to being quote, none of this information is run by the acting Super Attendant or he is to scare to step up to the plate in this matter. Moves the Asst. Super Attendant and Communication Department makes should be run through the acting Super Attendant for approval before the media puts’ information out for the public to read. Is it possible that we get some type of input or quote from Super Attendant that sits on the board? It seems to me that Plunket is just the bear of bad news or is made responsible for action that are not his.
Tell you the truth, this is the first time I have head of an Asst. Super Attendant…
http://hcps.org/departments/Default.aspx
He is not acting he is the superintendent. It is called delegating and trust! Effective leaders do this.
The backpedaling is really hilarious. I had more respect for them when they denied the viewing. Now they just look foolish.
You are right, this is my opinion . . . the board has been pushing of responsibilities to people that should making decision in this matter. Now it is coming back and biting them in the butt. This looks very foolish. I really can’t wait to see the board react to this stuff next week. First there was policy, no there is no policy and the board was suppose to vote? This looks bad for on there part; meaning members of the “senior staff”.
The entire senior staff of Harford County Public Schools is nothing but a bunch of fools. Although I feel we do need to giver the new Superintendent a chance first. But we all know how the rest of them work as well as the Human Resouces Department. But if any employee is to question anything you get a big bad visit from Head Honcho is Human Resources to your school. Pathetic I say…..
Good Cover HCPS…Good Cover….well played! Don’t think I could have come up with a better story if there ever was one. One for the record books. If there was movie about a monkey and a football you all would win the Oscar!
Looks like Superintendent Tomback will talk about the Presidential address at the Board of Ed meeting Monday night:
http://hcps.org/boe/docs/agendas/2009-2010/2009-09-14%20%20Agenda%20Board%20Business%20Meeting.pdf