Matt Collins
12-05-2008, 05:13 PM
During his campaign, Barack Obama told the American Federation of Teachers that he was against programs such as educational vouchers or tax credits that would allow parents more educational choices for their children.
"We need to focus on fixing and improving our public schools -- not throwing our hands up and walking away from them," Obama told the government school advocacy group.
Last week, though, Michelle and Barack Obama... walked away from Washington, DC's wretched government schools.
They announced that their daughters will be attending Sidwell Friends School, the private academy that educates the children of many of Washington's elite, at a cost of around $30,000 per child per year.
They'll be in good company. Vice President-elect Joe Biden's three grandchildren attend Sidwell -- as did Bill and Hillary Clinton's daughter Chelsea, and Al Gore's son Albert. All vigorously oppose educational choice programs for those less wealthy than themselves.
In Washington, more than one in four government ("public") school teachers send their own children to private schools. No wonder -- they've seen firsthand what the government schools are like.
Some have defended Obama's choice as simply a matter of security -- that the president's children are too vulnerable to attend public schools.
But that doesn't explain why both Obama girls previously attended the private University of Chicago Laboratory Schools (tuition: $21,000-plus). Presumably no one was threatening the Obama children then.
"A number of great schools were considered," said Obama family spokesperson Katie McCormick Lelyveld about the decision. "In the end, the Obamas selected the school that was the best fit for what their daughters need right now."
"Selected." How nice that they had a choice.
And how hypocritical that they are working hard to *deny* choice for so many other families who don't have their wealth.
Adding to the irony of it all: the Cato Institute's Andrew J. Coulson has pointed out that Washington's failing and downright dangerous government schools, among the very worst in America, spent about $25,000 per child in the 2007-08 school year -- enough to buy a Sidwell-type education for every kid.
(Sources: Associated Press:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/21/politics/main4625929.shtml
Cato Institute: http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2008/11/21/the-obamas-walk-away-from-public-schools/ )
"We need to focus on fixing and improving our public schools -- not throwing our hands up and walking away from them," Obama told the government school advocacy group.
Last week, though, Michelle and Barack Obama... walked away from Washington, DC's wretched government schools.
They announced that their daughters will be attending Sidwell Friends School, the private academy that educates the children of many of Washington's elite, at a cost of around $30,000 per child per year.
They'll be in good company. Vice President-elect Joe Biden's three grandchildren attend Sidwell -- as did Bill and Hillary Clinton's daughter Chelsea, and Al Gore's son Albert. All vigorously oppose educational choice programs for those less wealthy than themselves.
In Washington, more than one in four government ("public") school teachers send their own children to private schools. No wonder -- they've seen firsthand what the government schools are like.
Some have defended Obama's choice as simply a matter of security -- that the president's children are too vulnerable to attend public schools.
But that doesn't explain why both Obama girls previously attended the private University of Chicago Laboratory Schools (tuition: $21,000-plus). Presumably no one was threatening the Obama children then.
"A number of great schools were considered," said Obama family spokesperson Katie McCormick Lelyveld about the decision. "In the end, the Obamas selected the school that was the best fit for what their daughters need right now."
"Selected." How nice that they had a choice.
And how hypocritical that they are working hard to *deny* choice for so many other families who don't have their wealth.
Adding to the irony of it all: the Cato Institute's Andrew J. Coulson has pointed out that Washington's failing and downright dangerous government schools, among the very worst in America, spent about $25,000 per child in the 2007-08 school year -- enough to buy a Sidwell-type education for every kid.
(Sources: Associated Press:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/21/politics/main4625929.shtml
Cato Institute: http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2008/11/21/the-obamas-walk-away-from-public-schools/ )