School Lets Dems Register Students to Vote, But Not GOP

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**Jihadin**

Florida Republicans are outraged after a school district allowed a pro-Obama organization to conduct student voter registration drives and deliver speeches to classes – but denied the Romney campaign similar opportunities.Pasco County Schools confirmed to Fox News that volunteers from Organizing For America were given access to as many as a half dozen high school and middle school campuses.

“They did register students to vote,” spokesman John Mann told Fox News. “We don’t know how many children were registered – (but) we have an ongoing investigation.”

According to email correspondence obtained by Fox News, volunteers tried to infiltrate at least three other school campuses – but on-campus officials rebuffed those efforts.

In addition to voter registration, a former teacher was allowed to deliver Obama speeches to a number of senior high school students.

“She got into six classrooms and gave pro-Obama speeches – like way off to the left,” said James Mathieu, general counsel for the Pasco County Republican Party. “That got out to parents and parents complained.”

Matthieu told Fox News he has filed a complained with the Florida Division of Elections and also contacted the Florida Attorney General’s office.

“We have a liberal culture in our school system and we know that,” he told Fox News. “The problem is someone has used false credentials, false pretenses and there is a security issue.”

Mathieu said that some of the Organizing for America volunteers identified themselves to school officials as being with the local elections office.

“These people have used false pretense to get into the high schools and all they’re giving us is whitewash and lip service,” he said.

But Mann told Fox News that to his knowledge none of the volunteers misrepresented themselves.

“They identified themselves as being with Organizing For America,” he said.

However, according to an email obtained by Fox News – school officials acknowledged there may have been some deceit.

“In at least one case, those individuals said they were from the Pasco Supervisor of Elections Office,” wrote staff member Paula Lesko. “Unfortunately the SOE said that is not the case.”

So why did school officials allow a partisan organization to mingle with students?

“That will come out in our final investigation,” Mann said.

Another significant issue was the former teacher’s pro-Obama address. Local Republicans asked for equal access. At first, school officials agreed – but later reversed their decision.

Todd is the author of Dispatches From Bitter America – endorsed by Sarah Palin and Sean Hannity. Click here to get your copy!

“There was definitely discussion of having a Republican come in for equal access,” Mann told Fox News. “We’re not going in that direction because that would indeed be an additional violation of board policy.

Organizing For America apologized to the school district, the Tampa Bay Times reported. And the volunteer who delivered the pro-Obama speeches has been dismissed.

A similar incident occurred in Pinellas County when a high school principal invited students to volunteer for the Obama campaign.

Reuben Hepburn, the principal at Dunedin High School, made an announcement over the public address system about volunteer opportunities with the Obama campaign and Organizing for America, The Tampa Bay Times reported.

A school spokesperson said the incident came to light after a parent complained.

“The mistake there was that (Hepburn) promoted one specific organization that supports one specific candidate,” spokesperson Melanie Marquez told the newspaper. “It’s okay to say, ‘Hey, you can volunteer for political campaigns.’ But it’s not a good idea to focus on one organization.”

Kids are there for an education (cringe) not an indoctrination. Going to show my age on this question. Don't they still have a "Career Day" for the Juniors and Seniors for them to explore their options on what they want to do? Why can't both parties do it then. Have them like the military recruiters. Just stand there till approached.

**Samus_aran115**

That's silly.

Don't these kids want to vote anyway? Don't they realize that voting allows them to complain and whine about things?

In all seriousness, voting is as american as Hot Dogs and California Rolls, and I'm surprised that people need to force young voters to take the initiative to register.

Also, yeah, recruiters aren't as nuts are people like to imagine, or exaggerate. They hand out little free stuff and maybe shake your hand. Rarely do they come at you or pressure you into talking with them... And I've talked to a number of them, not just the Marines. The Navy recruiters are even more timid.

**sirlynchmob**

OP: Faux News. not to be taken seriously.

Samus_aran115 wrote:
That's silly.

Don't these kids want to vote anyway? Don't they realize that voting allows them to complain and whine about things?

In all seriousness, voting is as american as Hot Dogs and California Rolls, and I'm surprised that people need to force young voters to take the initiative to register.

Also, yeah, recruiters aren't as nuts are people like to imagine, or exaggerate. They hand out little free stuff and maybe shake your hand. Rarely do they come at you or pressure you into talking with them... And I've talked to a number of them, not just the Marines. The Navy recruiters are even more timid.

for this, the navy usually doesn't want you, unless you into a group that earns lots of points.

**d-usa**

So Republicans complained about a school breaking the rules, but then wants them to break the rules again.

They also say that "they allowed the Democrats" and then turn around and say "the Democrats lied, and said they were with the election board". If the democrats lied, then shame on them, but it's not the shools fault for letting folks from the election board register people (which would be non-partisan).

Two wrongs don't make a right. Punish the violators, but don't let more violations occur "in the name of fairness".

**Frazzled**

d-usa wrote:
So Republicans complained about a school breaking the rules, but then wants them to break the rules again.

They also say that "they allowed the Democrats" and then turn around and say "the Democrats lied, and said they were with the election board". If the democrats lied, then shame on them, but it's not the shools fault for letting folks from the election board register people (which would be non-partisan).

Two wrongs don't make a right. Punish the violators, but don't let more violations occur "in the name of fairness".

Not about wrongs or rights, its about fair access.

For the record Frazzled firmly believes no parties should be allowed into the schools. And teacher openly supporting one party or another should be terminated with extreme predjudice.

**SagesStone**

It probably happens on both sides, but being Fox we only really hear about it when it's on the other side of the fence.

**Frazzled**

n0t_u wrote:
It probably happens on both sides, but being Fox we only really hear about it when it's on the other side of the fence.

Absent proof of thats statement its a false statement.

**SagesStone**

Hence probably being in there. I couldn't care less about the election over there, but the news here can't get enough of it.

**Redbeard**

Given that the GOP wants to cut funding to schools, I see no reason why schools should make it easier for them to get votes. This looks like it's in the best interest of the school district, so what's the big deal?

**SilverMK2**

It is a good job the majority of media companies in the US are un-biased in their reporting so that students are not being 'indoctrinated' once they get home from school until they stop watching TV...

**Frazzled**

Redbeard wrote:
Given that the GOP wants to cut funding to schools, I see no reason why schools should make it easier for them to get votes. This looks like it's in the best interest of the school district, so what's the big deal?

How do you know the GOP wants to cut funding for schools. Mind you the GOP is not elected to any position.

**Squigsquasher**

Meh. Considering what a trainwreck of a party the Republicans are I'm pretty glad about this.

**hotsauceman1**

Frazzled wrote:
d-usa wrote:
So Republicans complained about a school breaking the rules, but then wants them to break the rules again.

They also say that "they allowed the Democrats" and then turn around and say "the Democrats lied, and said they were with the election board". If the democrats lied, then shame on them, but it's not the shools fault for letting folks from the election board register people (which would be non-partisan).

Two wrongs don't make a right. Punish the violators, but don't let more violations occur "in the name of fairness".

Not about wrongs or rights, its about fair access.

For the record Frazzled firmly believes no parties should be allowed into the schools. And teacher openly supporting one party or another should be terminated with extreme predjudice.

I disagree frazzled, Until Highschool Yes they should be punished, maybe even until the thea nd of sophmore Year. But Those Teens are smart enough to atleast now that those teachers views are their own. Besides We need to teach students on important Lesson. Respect those of the opposite Party.

**Testify**

So, they actually banned Republicans from registering to vote?

Or did they just not actively encourage them to do so?

**AustonT**

n0t_u wrote:It probably happens on both sides, but being Fox we only really hear about it when it's on the other side of the fence.

Yes because evil Fox stole all the cameras at every other news network and slashed their tires to keep them from finding those hot stories.

Redbeard wrote:Given that the GOP wants to cut funding to schools, I see no reason why schools should make it easier for them to get votes. This looks like it's in the best interest of the school district, so what's the big deal?

If you have to ask what the big deal is, it's probably not worth talking about it.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Testify wrote:
So, they actually banned Republicans from registering to vote?

I can't imagine they did.

**Frazzled**

Testify wrote:
So, they actually banned Republicans from registering to vote?

Or did they just not actively encourage them to do so?

They had Democratic Party registration drives but refused Republicans. Neither party should be allowed in.
Everyone associated should be fired.

**hotsauceman1**

Fired? Isnt that harsh for such a little thing? Maybe a suspension for a month or so but not firing.

**Frazzled**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
Fired? Isnt that harsh for such a little thing? Maybe a suspension for a month or so but not firing.

No. Fired.

**hotsauceman1**

In the Middle of the school Yeah?
Do you know how long it takes to hire a Teacher? This will screw up many many students education.

**AustonT**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
In the Middle of the school Yeah?
Do you know how long it takes to hire a teacher?

24 hours. When you fire a teacher, or they quit you submit a request to the district for a long term sub until the next contracting period. It happens a lot, and there are a lot of teachers looking for work these days.

**kronk**

AustonT wrote:
hotsauceman1 wrote:
In the Middle of the school Yeah?
Do you know how long it takes to hire a teacher?

24 hours. When you fire a teacher, or they quit you submit a request to the district for a long term sub until the next contracting period. It happens a lot, and there are a lot of teachers looking for work these days.

Yep. Not hard to replace, unfortunately.

**Frazzled**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
In the Middle of the school Yeah?
Do you know how long it takes to hire a Teacher? This will screw up many many students education.

"School yeah" - er I hope you're justyping as badly as I do....
I could hire a teacher in seven minutes. Two minutes of that would be involved in myself getting more coffee.

1. Let me see your resume says you have an X degree and you did Y since. correct?

2. Why on earth do you want to be a teacher? Have you seen children recently?

**AustonT**

Frazzled wrote:
hotsauceman1 wrote:
In the Middle of the school Yeah?
Do you know how long it takes to hire a Teacher? This will screw up many many students education.

"School yeah" - er I hope you're justyping as badly as I do....
I could hire a teacher in seven minutes. Two minutes of that would be involved in myself getting more coffee.

1. Let me see your resume says you have an X degree and you did Y since. correct?

2. Why on earth do you want to be a teacher? Have you seen children recently?

I would guess it was an auto correct, like why my "next" becomes bet and "snipers" becomes "anklets"
It's easier to be a sub than a teacher so the wife tells me, that could vary by state I'm sure.

**hotsauceman1**

Subs Dont Know Jack.
And really, Firing over This little debacle is asinine. Now if they FAILED students over political leanings, then yes. but all they did was refuse people the ability to register, something they can do down at the post office.

**Frazzled**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
Subs Dont Know Jack.
And really, Firing over This little debacle is asinine. Now if they FAILED students over political leanings, then yes. but all they did was refuse people the ability to register, something they can do down at the post office.

No its not. 1) They should be teaching. They were not. 2. In many other areas doing something like this will get you fired. 3. The best way to insure compliance is termination, and putting their desk on a spike as a warning to others. If Frazzled can recommend it for other things Frazzled can recommend it for this.

**AustonT**

It doesn't really matter what we think the district is doing some sort of investigation, if firings are on the table I imagine we'll find out. I doubt it because administration would be the ones at fault for letting them on campus, and its a lot harder to fire administrators than teachers. There are subs for those too though hotsauce so don't worry, the children will not be affected.

**Frazzled**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
Subs Dont Know Jack.
And really, Firing over This little debacle is asinine. Now if they FAILED students over political leanings, then yes. but all they did was refuse people the ability to register, something they can do down at the post office.

My wife was a sub for a bit. She has three degrees and real life experience working with the police department on crime scenes, and later the VP of a techie company. Who doesn't know jack again?

**hotsauceman1**

Well, My Subs Didnt Now Jack.
I mean, I had one, when we where learning about crime in my sociology class, disregard the lesson because she didnt understand why we needed to learn it. And she thought i was serious when i said i wanted to go to jail for my life career.

**AustonT**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
Well, My Subs Didnt Now Jack.
I mean, I had one, when we where learning about crime in my sociology class, disregard the lesson because she didnt understand why we needed to learn it. And she thought i was serious when i said i wanted to go to jail for my life career.

You get what you pay for.

**Frazzled**

Jail sucks. Its almost as bad as the DMV.