First daughter and presidential adviser Ivanka Trump made a surprise visit to a Connecticut high school — prompting some parents who oppose President Donald Trump’s agenda to yank their kids from classes Monday.
Trump appeared at the Norwalk Early College Academy to talk to its students about the importance of career education.
“To see the passion and enthusiasm for bringing real-life skills into a classroom environment but then coupling it with real-life experience through internship creates this really beautiful virtuous angle,” she said, News 12 New Jersey reported.
Parents say they didn’t know that Trump was scheduled to speak to their kids — information they suspect was withheld due to security concerns.
“This should have been brought to our attention, although I do understand security reasons,” parent Karey Fitzgerald told News 12. “I think we should have had the choice to send our child to school or keep them home.” she added.
Not all parents were opposed to the visit.
Parent Angela Yaneth Guzman replied to a photo from Trump’s visit on Facebook, and thanked her for speaking to her son.
“My son Nicolas Guzman is a NECA student and you talked to him today and he’s so excited about it. It’s something He will never forget. Thank you Ivanka,” she wrote.
Trump was joined by IBM CEO Ginni Rometty, who developed the NECA academic model. Students at NECA earn a high school diploma and an associate’s degree in software engineering in four years.