White House dismisses hoopla over speech

WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- The White House fired back at critics of President Obama's planned speech to U.S. school students next week, calling it part of the political "silly season."

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Obama's message next Tuesday was encouragement for students starting the school year, not a political message promoting his agenda as critics claim, The Hill reported Friday.

"I think we've reached a little bit of the silly season when the president of the United States can't tell kids to study hard and stay in school," Gibbs said.

While Obama announced plans to deliver the speech weeks ago, the war of words picked up steam this week as conservative pundits and talk show hosts began discussing it after a post-speech lesson plan was distributed to teachers. Several school districts across the United States said they would not air the speech while others said students whose parents object can skip the speech.

Gibbs noted Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush delivered addresses to schoolchildren, the Washington publication said.