Federal Way students will be required to have permission slips to watch President-elect Barack Obama sworn into office on Tuesday, Jan. 20.

The district sent out notice to all staff on Thursday, reminding them of district policy.

“This is not a new policy,” spokeswoman Diane Turner said. “It’s something we do all the time.”

The rule has been around since 2005 and applies to any electronic media that is used in the classroom.

Permission slips were going out on Thursday and Friday.

Parents can also send an e-mail to the teacher or principal to approve watching the historic event, or can send in a simple note with their student.

For those students who do not return with some form of permission, there will be an alternative activity.

Turner did not know how many teachers planned on viewing the inauguration. Obama will be sworn in at noon EST — or 9 a.m. local time.

The Federal Way School District received some controversy after parent Frosty Hardison complained when Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” was shown in his daughter’s class. The Federal Way School Board issued a temporary moratorium on the film. However, after receiving hundreds of e-mails and phone calls, the board reversed the moratorium and allowed the film to be shown as long as opposing viewpoints were also presented.