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| | From:  tc101 (Original Message) | Sent: 11/25/2008 5:40 AM |
Dee, Apparently Obama does oppose vouchers.
WSJ NOVEMBER 24, 2008
The Sidwell Choice
The Obama family leads by example.
Michelle and Barack Obama have settled on a Washington, D.C., school for their daughters, and you will not be surprised to learn it is not a public institution. Malia, age 10, and seven-year-old Sasha will attend the Sidwell Friends School, the private academy that educates the children of much of Washington's elite.
[Review & Outlook] AP
Vice President-elect Joe Biden's grandchildren attend Sidwell -- as did Chelsea Clinton -- where tuition is close to $30,000 a year. The Obama girls have been students at the private University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, where tuition runs above $21,000. "A number of great schools were considered," said Katie McCormick Lelyveld, a spokeswoman for Mrs. Obama. "In the end, the Obamas selected the school that was the best fit for what their daughters need right now."
Note the word "selected," as in made a choice. The Obamas are fortunate to have the means to send their daughters to private school, and no one begrudges them that choice given that Washington's public schools are among the worst in America.
Most D.C. parents would also love to be able to choose a better school for their child, but they lack the financial means to do so. The Washington Opportunity Scholarship Program each year offers up to $7,500 to some 1,900 kids to attend private schools, but Democrats in Congress want to kill it. Average family income for kids in the voucher program is about $22,000.
Mr. Obama says he opposes such vouchers, because "although it might benefit some kids at the top, what you're going to do is leave a lot of kids at the bottom." The example of his own children refutes that: The current system offers plenty of choice to kids "at the top" while abandoning those at the bottom. |
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When I make a mistake, I will own up to it. I was wrong. Obama doesn't like vouchers but prefers public charter schools. We have those in this area and they are in much demand. Especially in the poorer sections of town. The quality of schools in many states is based on property taxes. If you live in a poor area that doesn't have the tax base to support better schools, you have little money which wich to work. The wealthy neighborhoods hae the snazzy new buildings, quality staff and better opportunity. This is all tied to the tax base. I wish they would NOT use this formula for our schools because it is so biased. There has to be a better way. I mean, if you get a bunch of trailer parks and subsidized housing projects in your school district, what kind of tax base do you have to draw from? School vouchers only benefit a few. Even the charter schools have long waiting lists. I have friends with children in them and the only reason they were able to get in was because a sibling was there already. There has to be a better way. I hope someone a lot smarter than whoever has been in charge before, comes up with a plan. |
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