Yep, Studying Hard and Washing Your Hands

are very controversial. No wonder Republican and other wingnut parents were so up in arms about President Obama giving a "back-to-school" speech this past Tuesday. I mean, it was downright communistic, whatever that is.

In seriousness, southern Oregon, apart from Ashland, which is a mini San Francisco when it comes to politics (and everything else), is a very red area, far more so than even Reno, Nevada, though Reno was equally or more red back when I moved there 25 years ago. So, there is no surprise some of these fools would be up in arms about anything Obama.

But in this case it would appear politics had NOTHING to do with the decision by the superintendent of Medford School District to not show the speech live:

Long, who came out to speak with the protesters and take their questions just before they dispersed, reiterated that the timing of the speech was a concern for him when he asked teachers not to show it live. He pointed out that only about 60 percent of the district's students were even in class that day, which was an orientation for seventh-grade and freshman students districtwide, as well as sophomores entering small schools on the South campus. Other upper level students didn't start class until Wednesday, and two elementary schools also started later in the week because of construction projects.

Hallmark acknowledged that he hadn't known all students weren't even in class when the president's speech aired, but said he was still disturbed by Long's statements about the need for a curriculum committee to vet the speech and auxiliary materials the Obama administration provided.