When President Barack Obama delivers his second back-to-school speech to the nation's students, he'll do so at Philadelphia’s prestigious Masterman School in Center City.
The White House said Thursday that Obama will travel to the Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School on Sept. 14 to give the speech at 1 p.m. The public magnet school educates 1,200 fifth through 12th graders from around the city.
“This is really exciting,” Superintendent Arlene Ackerman told the Inquirer. “We are thrilled and honored.”
Ackerman told the paper she believed Obama chose Philadelphia because of the Renaissance schools initiative -- a reform program designed to turn around low-performing schools.
Last year, the president spoke from a school in Arlington, Va., just outside Washington. He encouraged students to study hard, stay in school and take responsibility for their education.
Some parents and conservative critics objected to his remarks then, saying Obama was making a political speech.
