Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Private?
 

Is Obama willing to put his school-aged daughters where his political promises have been? Will Obama send his girls to private school while he continues to oppose programs that offer a similar choice to less fortunate parents?

Vouchers as an alternative to public schools is favored by black parents by larger majorities than white parents do. Black students face a disproportionately number of under-performing schools.

Teachers unions lead the opposition against vouchers. A 2004 Thomas B. Fordham Institute report found big-city public school teachers to more likely to have their own children in private schools.

Michele Obama toured the private Georgetown Day School this week. The Obama's daughters already attend a private school in Chicago. My guess is they'll go private while denying less fortunate Americans the right to choose the school that woud best suit their child.

School Chancellor Michelle Rhee of Washington DC a single mom of two has her daughters enrolled in the troubled DC school system. She has closed 23 schools, restructered 27, fired more than 250 teachers and dumped about 1/3 of the system's principals.

She recently asked a critical question to a principal who was defending a teacher: "Would you put your grandchild in that class?" The principal replied "If that's the standard, we don't have any effective teachers in my school." Rhee's response: "That is the standard."

Public schools belong to all of us, whether we use them or not. We should treat the students as though they belong to all of us, too. And that includes the president-elect.

(The above is a reworking of an editorial by Clarence Page of The Chicago Tribune, November 13,, 2008)

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

I would not want my grandchild in public school in D. C. In fact I wish none of my grandchildren had to go to public school, anywhere. One of my DIL's is homeschooling. On the other hand, I want them to be prepared for the world they will have to live in.

I think it would be a nightmare for his kids to go to public school.

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

I don't want my kids in public school if I can help it. They're safer in private schools.

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

Which is a strong argument for vouchers. A voucher simply gives you as a parent the ability to chose where the federal money per child goes versus the government telling you where it goes. People naturally will choose to send their children (and the federal money) to the best schools. The schools underperforming will be pressured to strive for excellence or lose a lot of federal money. It will naturally raise the level of our educaton system exponentially.

The Dems that don't support you having the freedom to make that choice are also making sure their kids are getting the best education available. That usually means private school. They don't want to send their kids to the very public schools they dictate that you must.

Teachers unions and the politicians that receive millions in campaign contributions from them are to blame.

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

I agree w/most of what you're saying here except that we aren't required to send our kids to public school. It's just the free alternative to home schooling and private schools. Every child is required to go to school, but not public school. There is choice, and like you, I'm pro-choice. :)

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

But Obama stated openly that he is AGAINST vouchers and wants teachers to be certified. That means he is wanting to lock down school choice. I believe that was discussed on the last debate with Obama and McCain.

We had a big issue in the homeschool industry, a few years ago, on the certification issue. The White House phones were bogged down and the measure did not pass. It is not necessary to be certified to teach.

We need freedom of choice and I don't see Obama in support of that.

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

He will put them in private school.

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

Obama understands the primary rule of liberalism.

That is there are two classes of people. The ruling class and those they rule.

The ruling class lives by a seperate set of rules. They need good private schools to teach their kids to be leaders. They need to keep everyone else in public schools to keep the masses quiet.

Obama will play by the rules.

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

I am for the President, VP, Congressmen/women, Senators, etc. sending their children/grandchildren to public schools. Since they seem to think it's good enough for ours, they should think it's good enough for theirs.

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

Yes, he really doesn't have a choice. I wonder if they were in private school in Chicago.

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

Yep.

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

Private schools are going to be banned by Obama?

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

Jimmy Carter sent Amy to a public school...............

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

I agree with you.

There are GRAVE security concerns for the Obama family-- much more grave than what President Carter would have faced.

It really would be unfathomable for President Obama to leave his children at the mercy of the Washington, DC Public School System.


If something tragic was to occur, how would he hold the DCPS responsible?

Imagine the mess!!!!

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

The same way any other parent would. Tragedy happens, even to President's families.

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

First off his daughters should be in a private school for their own safety!

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

I agree that there is no way that President-elect Obama's girls will end up in a DC Public School. I don't think that it would be wise or safe for them and I totally understand why they would choose a private school. However, it does reek of hypocrisy to then deny that same choice to the "less fortunate" in the form of vouchers. I am a strong advocate of school choice!

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

I was speaking particularly that he is against vouchers. That means that you have no free school choice. You are stick in a bad district with no way out, unless you move from your residence. McCain was for vouchers.

That wouldn't have anything to do with banning private schools. Sorry if I didn't articulate that properly in my earlier post.

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

Man that is one DEAD ON observation. Thanks for a great post and for helping to load my arsenal with a great line of debate!

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

I am too.

But I'm also in a position where I have made the choice to put my kids in public school. I'm a single mom, not receiving *any* child support. I tried homeschooling while attending school and working myself. Major fail.

So, I'm a homeschooling parent at heart who's children attend public school because there is no other adequate option.

In the future, I may very well be a homeschooling public school teacher. lol Or a public school teacher who's children attend private school. But we'll see when I finally get my degree where I end up teaching.

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

You know, someone cited the safety of the children at public school. Do you they think they go to private school without bodyguards? Three or four Secret Service agents sitting in class with Obama's girls would provide plenty of safety along with a security detail located at the school. Shoot, it would probably elevate the quality of education for the kids in that school and all would benefit.

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

I understand your point.

If I was a parent, I'd do all I could to provide the best I can for my family.

With that in mind, what would you do in his case?

"Sidwell Friends" here we come!

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

I agree, but logically I know there are more things to think about than security.

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

If Obama is trying to get health care for everyone, something that I think this country needs. He will of course continue to support public education.

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

Well of course. All the more reason to grant choice to everyone else. But it wont happen. The teachers unions have the Dems by the proverbial family jewels, and he will not be able to betray the loyalty they demand. There's a lot of campaign money at stake here.

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

Typical right wing rederick.

Any one that will put their politics aside and use reason would know this is not about where they go to school, it's about security.

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It runs a little deeper than security, IMO, considering the lip service being paid to the public school system. You don't hear the liberals talk about issuing school vouchers. Obama is against them.

His children get school choice, but not the normal American citizen! The school system keeps turning out kids graduating who lack self-discipline and not having the basic knowledge of math and reading skills.

Yet, you can bank your bottom dollar that their kids won't be enrolled in the Washington D.C school system.

Obama's stance against school vouchers is a clear indication that he intends to do nothing about the failures in our public school system, but he will take care of his children, sure!

On top of that the demographics show an increase in the Spanish population in this country. Unless they rise up in the job sector, which takes them years, they will vote Democratic. That clearly indicates to me a Socialist agenda at best - keep them poor and stupid and you have a party!

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You are blaiming Obama so is it fair to look at Bush? He talkes a good game. He had controle for years of all three branches of goverment and still no vouchers, just children left behind.

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I agree that the No Child Left Behind was a good concept, but it didn't do what it was supposed to do.

However, you have overlooked that Bush pushed for Congress to authorize "Pell Grants for Kids" during his 7th annual State of the Union Address earlier this year. The program would have allowed students in the lower performing schools to transfer to faith-based and other non-public schools.

McCain was for vouchers, which I happen to think is necessary for competition among schools and Obama spoke against them. You can view that on the last debate they had together. I believe it was on the last debate.

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Lets be serious here on this subject. If you think there is no class system in America you're nuts. People that can afford it, the wealthy, famous, politicians, etc. send their kids to private school. The rest of us have the alternative of home school or public education. Did Obama's children go to public school or private school in Chicago?

Re: Will Obama Support Public Education or Go Priv
 

Look at the state of the public schools system in America.

Is that the way we want our health care system to look?

Scary.:feral