http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/09/15/Sch...13951253033933/School drops Bush field trip after protest Published: Sept. 15, 2009 at 12:58 PM
ARLINGTON, Texas, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- A Texas school district, criticized for banning a televised speech by President Barack Obama, has called off a field trip to see George W. Bush.
Arlington, Texas, school officials had planned to send 600 fifth-grade students to Cowboys Stadium next Monday to attend a Super Bowl XLV Host Committee featuring the former president. But the timing of that event following the school district's decision to not let students watch Obama's back-to-school address live in the classroom prompted widespread criticism of political favoritism, The Dallas Morning News reported Tuesday.
The newspaper said a letter from Superintendent Jerry McCullough released Monday announced he was backing away from the Super Bowl event, in which the Dallas host committee is to announce details of a community service and education program. In the letter, McCullough reportedly wrote that the decision to cancel was made "in order to maintain our focus on instruction."
Last week, McCullough apologized for the negative publicity the events had brought, but didn't say whether or not the schools should participate in the Super Bowl announcement.
The Morning News said columnists and bloggers attacked what they called a double standard in allowing students to leave campus to see Bush.
