After having his speech, at a Grosse Pointe high school cancelled, Rick Santorum was subsequently allowed to give his address after the school was assured that the speech would be about leadership and not divisive social issues -  not, as claimed by Bill O'Reilly, because "The Factor" complained. The school's right wing "Young Americans for Freedom," however, asserts that the initial decision was due to Santorum's social views - something that the school denies. But as this allegation dovetails nicely with the Fox News meme about "liberal bias" in the schools, it wasn't surprising to see Steve Doocy, during a "Trouble With Schools" segment, interview a YAF student about liberal persecution, which OMG included a requirement that students get permission to attend the speech.  Aww... 

Doocy began by expressing what appeared to be amazement that students needed permission to attend a speech given by a former senator and presidential candidate. He asked "is that appropriate or is the school playing politics." True to form the agitprop chyron promoted the faux "controversy" - "Santorum Speech Controversy, Student Had To Get Permission To Attend." He introduced Langston Bowens, a student who is the local chairman of the Young Americans for Freedom which facilitated the Santorum speech.

Doocy was all full of himself as he did his patented summary of the situation: "You invited him, paid his fee, the high school principal said OK fine by me and then the superintendent got involved and said what?" Bowens claimed that the superintendent objected to Santorum's position on gay marriage. To Doocy's question of how Bowens responded, he replied that the superintendent's position was "biased." (Unlike Fox & Friends?) Doocy praised Bowens for getting "media attention" which, according to Bowens, forced the school into a position where it "finally broke." A grimacing (or grinning?) Doocy did "point out" that the superintendent said his personal views weren't relevant because Santorum didn't provide, as requested, a copy of the speech. Doocy claimed "that's what they're saying" now (Actually, it was said over two weeks ago) and asked Bowen if it was true.

On cue, Bowens responded that the superintendent lied because Santorum doesn't use speeches but, rather, "talking points" which "weren't good enough" for the superintendent  who wanted the speech "so he could censor what he [Santorum] was going to say." He repeated that this man lied and is trying to "cover up" and "that's liberal bias."

While doing some awesome facial contortions, Doocy asked about the parental permission requirement for the speech. Knowing full well what the answer would be, Doocy asked if this is a "case for liberal bias against a conservative Republican." On cue, Bowens said it "absolutely" was a "case for liberal bias against a Republican" and that if this were Nancy Pelosi (Doocy nodded his head) or Joe Biden "they would have no issue but because it's a Republican they have a problem."

Rather than talk about how Santorum's speech, about leadership, was very well received even by liberal students who wanted to hear other views on issues, Doocy used the segment to promote a right wing meme. And while Bowens and Doocy whined about liberal bias, they didn't mention that the school provided two venues for those who wanted to see him - one, for students and the other, for the public. But that wasn't important. What was important was reinforcing the Fox meme about poor conservative students who are being oppressed by liberal classroom bias. Awww....

And funny, about that permission slip thingie - I suspect that Doocy supports permissions slips for sex education and liberal speakers. If Bill Ayers had spoken at his kids Catholic school, do ya think that Doocy would have been down with that?

If there's trouble with anything, it's Steve Doocy's brain!