Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
FARMINGTON -- A Davis County elementary school principal is apologizing today for allowing a video to be shown to students that some claim supported a political "leftist agenda."
The video features various celebrities pledging to serve their country by doing things like ending hunger, being good parents and helping their neighbors. The conservative group, Eagle Forum, says the video went too far in promoting the liberal agenda when celebrities pledged to further stem cell research and serve Barack Obama.
Gayle Ruzicka, with the Utah Eagle Forum, said, "I'm very concerned when they show a leftist, liberal political video to elementary-aged children without their parents being notified ahead of time."
The story has gotten a big reaction online, including more than 31,000 page views and 1,000 comments.
Al writes, "That last line about being a servant to our president made me almost throw up! Our president is supposed to be a servant of the people..."
D.H. says, "It's not appropriate to show it to school kids. It's that simple."
On the other side, Wilco 64256 writes, "I'm first in line when it comes to disagreeing with Obama, but I didn't find anything in this video to be particularly upsetting."
And Idealist says, "This was one small instrument used to help motivate children to serve others. The video was not emphasized, helping others was."
However, according to school administrators, that reaction has not been as large in the community. The school's principal has received only a handful of calls, the majority of which were supportive.
Jim Maxwell's wife, Jennifer, is Eagle Bay Elementary's PTA President. She first saw the video on the Oprah Winfrey show and thought it would be perfect to introduce the school year's theme of service. She and other PTA members viewed it before making the decision.
"They decided it sent the message they wanted to send," Maxwell says.
Maxwell says there was no political agenda in showing the video and his wife is brokenhearted by the response.
"They're taking umbrage with the message, and I think it's more about the messenger than the message," he says.
As for the controversy, Maxwell says he never saw it coming. "Befuddled. That would be the word," he said.
So should the school have shown the video without notifying parents? There were 3,617 votes cast online. Thirty-eight percent of responders say yes; 62 percent of them say no.
School principal Ofelia Wade today issued a letter to parents apologizing for showing the video without first viewing it herself.
Compiled with contributions from Andrew Adams and Sarah Dallof
