B-W Schools Will Hear Obama's Back-to-School Speech on Sept. 28

President Barack Obama will deliver his third annual Back-to-School Speech on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 1:30 p.m. EST, and Baldwin-Whitehall's public school students will be listening ... well, most of them, probably.

The 's administration issued the following email to parents of district students on Friday:

"While we support the notion that all students might benefit from President Obama's words, we have made plans to accommodate students who might want to opt out of this experience.

"If you wish your child to opt out of hearing President Obama, please send a note requesting this to your school principal."

The president's remarks will come from Benjamin Banneker Academic High School in Washington, DC, and are open to pre-credentialed media only. But the Baldwin-Whitehall School District, like many others, has made arrangements for its students to hear the speech.

The speech will be streamed live on the Internet at WhiteHouse.gov so that classrooms across the country may view or hear it. For more information about watching the speech, visit whitehouse.gov/back-to-school.

Students can also watch the speech live on MSNBC as a special feature of NBC News' "Education Nation."

The speech is an opportunity for Obama to speak directly to students. In past years, the president has encouraged students to study hard and to take responsibility for their education. He has urged students to set goals, to believe in themselves and to be the authors of their own destinies.

Benjamin Banneker Academic High School opened in 1981 as a magnet school for students in grades 9-12 enrolled in rigorous academic experiences in preparation for college. Based on its high graduation rates, college matriculation rates and test scores, the school placed on Newsweek’s 2011 list of America's Best High Schools. Benjamin Banneker is a part of the District of Columbia Public Schools system.