A Barack Too Far? New Rochelle Public Schools Assign Seven Year Olds to Obama Campaign

[Robert Cox]

A Barack Too Far? New Rochelle (NY) Public Schools Assign Seven Year Olds to Obama Campaign

http://www.newrochelletalk.com/node/368

Students at an elementary school in New Rochelle, NY, a suburb of New York City, were recently assigned an in-class assignment to color in drawings of Barack Obama to mark the occasion of the inauguration of the 44th President. The drawings depicted Obama in various heroic poses, flags waving in the background, but one drawing went beyond adulation into overt political activity disguised as a pedagogical exercise. The drawing is a campaign button, in the center of a circle Barack Obama is smiling surrounded by another circle with the words "Students for Obama 2008".

Do public school employees cross the line with this sort of thing?

At least one student objected but her concerns were ignored. "I'm wanted McCain to win", she said. New Rochelle is a largely democratic city with a City Council and School Board dominated by Democrats.

New Rochelle Superintendent of Schools Richard Organisciak did not respond to emails requesting comment.