It turns out that the distrust and concern was much ado about nothing.

In a speech to students on Tuesday the president encouraged them to take pride in and control of their own education. We don't really see anything wrong with that message and think students could stand to hear more like it.

Anytime a president speaks to children in a nationwide broadcast, it should be one that encourages and motivates our children. The president accomplished this in his speech.

It is truly a shame that the current national distrust of politicians has created such suspicion about the presidential address to children.

Parents have a duty and a right to scrutinize everything dealing with their children. That is why untrusting or skeptical parents should have read the script of the speech rather than keeping their children at home yesterday. Any parent who halted their children's learning without conducting proper research should be ashamed.

Obama is not the first president to address students and we are pleased that he continued a tradition of offering up a good positive motivational goal for our local school children.