Fairfield students had the opportunity last week, or will have this week, to watch an address to students made by President Barack Obama a week ago and reordered for review.

The school district central administration decided not to allow students to watch the speech live, choosing to record the address and review it to determine if it was appropriate for viewing.

After the review, the speech was deemed appropriate to be shown on all campuses.

Parents, however, were given the opportunity to excuse their children from watching the presidential address.

The speech deals with the importance of education and hard work as ingredients for success.

Hours after President Obama made the address to students last Tuesday, more than 40 persons attended a meeting of the school board to question why the speech had not been shown live to students.

Fairfield junior high students watched the president in social studies classes Thursday and Friday.

FJHS principal Bryan Gawryszewski reports that 41 parents returned forms requesting their children not watch the address. There are 525 students on campus.

At the senior high, the speech will be shown in social studies classes this Thursday, coinciding with U.S. Constitution Day.

Principal Von Wade reports only six students, out of 556, had turned in forms to skip the speech.

Elementary school students are watching the address in class at different times this week. Principal Libby Harris reports about 110 students out of 760 opted out of watching the speech.

Teachers in whose classes the speech is shown prepared lesson plans or activities for students. Alternate lesson plans were prepared for students who parents do not want them to watch.