Obama's speech to schools avoids politics

U.S. President Barack Obama talked to students on Tuesday about taking pride in their education, an apolitical message that belied the controversy surrounding his planned address to schools.

"Every single one of you has something that you're good at. Every single one of you has something to offer," Obama told students at Wakefield High School in suburban Arlington, Va., and children watching his speech on television in schools across the United States.

"And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is."

The seemingly innocuous speech welcoming children back after the summer break has been overshadowed by the politics surrounding the health-care debate that has gripped the country's attention.

A small group of protesters gathered outside the school as the president's motorcade was arriving for his midday speech.

One sign read, "Mr. President, stay away from our kids."

Essay-writing directive drew fire

When plans for the speech were first unveiled, it was accompanied by a set of directives to schools opting to broadcast the speech. The directives concerned ways to get students to write essays about how to help the president do his job.

Critics saw that as political interference, even as the administration dismissed it as a harmless way of helping schools in their civics curricula.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan, who appeared with Obama at the school, acknowledged on Tuesday that asking students to write essays on how to help Obama was wrongheaded.

His opponents further suggested the address to schoolchildren was part of his strategy to overhaul the health-care system in the United States. That divisive debate has dominated the nation's attention all summer.

Florida Republican chair Jim Greer said last week it's inappropriate to use taxpayer dollars to broadcast White House politics into the nation's school system.

"President Obama has turned to American's children to spread his liberal lies, indoctrinating American's youngest children before they have a chance to decide for themselves," Greer said.

Be careful with Facebook, Obama says

The White House attempted to put cold water on the controversy by releasing the speech without any such directives on Monday.

Obama stuck to the script on Tuesday, focusing his speech on the importance of hard work.

"Whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it," Obama said.

"At the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents and the best schools in the world, and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities."

In an earlier meeting with Wakefield students, Obama also advised the students to be careful how they use online social networks to communicate.

"Be careful what you post on Facebook. Whatever you do, it will be pulled up again later somewhere in your life," he said.