Roland S. Martin
CNN Contributor
When President Obama signs the $410 billion omnibus spending bill, there will be shouts of joy from both sides as Republicans and Democrats get their cherished earmarks.
Yet tucked into that bill is an amendment pushed by the president's former colleague in the Senate, Illinois Democrat Dick Durbin, who used his influence to essentially kill the District of Columbia school vouchers program.
Oh sure, it will be portrayed that the Democrats aren't killing the program, but the initiative calls for no new students to be allowed entry, unless approved by Congress and the District of Columbia City Council.
| Cindy |
March 11th, 2009 11:10 am ET Roland, I also agree that doing away with vouchers is crazy! Like you said we should help the ones that we can now until we fix the whole system where we won't have to need them. It is very hypocritical for Obama and the members of congress to say they aren't needed but yet they have their kids in private school. How ridiculous! Elitism at it's core right there! So they think it's OK to go to private school if you can afford it but if not Oh well..too bad! What's wrong with that picture!? Cindy..Ga. |
|
| Arachnae |
March 11th, 2009 11:22 am ET Sorry, folks. I believe you save as many as you can now, and continue to save the rest later. This shouldn't be an either/or proposition, but an and/both situation. That's all well and good, but you're left with Sophie's Choice of which few to save. Keep in mind that many who support vouchers have no interest in fixing the REST of the schools, they just want federal funds for their (mainly religion-based) schools. So parents in poor districts can choose between sending their kids to schools that can't teach them to read, or Indoctrination 'R' Us. Nice. |
|
| Gilbert Martinez |
March 11th, 2009 11:27 am ET This is why it has become so difficult for any American to believe anyone politician. I still like Obama, but he is looking more and more like politics as usual. The public school system is a criminal monopoly that is costing tens of millions of Black, White, Hispanic, etc. boys and girls their very future. All this terrible cost to our society for the sake of political expediency. |
|
| Gilbert Martinez |
March 11th, 2009 11:31 am ET Private and charter schools produce much better results at a fraction of the cost that it now takes to operate all of the major public school systems in the nation. Even home schooling has much better results that the public school system. The most terrible thing about this whole thing is the lives that will damaged by decades old failed public school policies. Obama should analyze this issue well before he condemns children, most of them African Americans; to a lesser life than they are capable of accomplishing if their parents only had a choice of where to send their children to school. |
|
| Melissa |
March 11th, 2009 12:04 pm ET Actually, I think Obama is right. He's been living up to his promises on everything else so far (what he's been able to get to anyway. He's only had 7 weeks in office. No one can move with lightning speed), what makes you think he won't live up to this one? There's no reason to think he won't. So far, he's doing exactly what I hoped he'd do. |
|
| Dennis Helbig |
March 11th, 2009 12:16 pm ET Obama's policy of cradle to grave education is outright brainwashing and societal manipulation. Read Asimov's Foundation Trilogy. |
|
| Kim |
March 11th, 2009 12:28 pm ET Go Dick Durban ! He must clearly understand Rhee's educational reform total confusion ! End the mandates on NCLB ! We love you Dick Durban and way to go ! Public Education scores two under the mandates of NCLB,imagine that ! End the mandates on Pl 107-110 and it's not working ! |
|
| C. A. Thompson |
March 12th, 2009 1:04 pm ET Your comments on your other blog were closed and I didn't get a chance to comment ,so I will do it here. I want to know why you are not in President Obama's cabinet? You have so many brilliant ideas and they could use the good positive feedback you present. Keep up the good work! |
|
|
Comments have been closed for this article |
||
A behind the scenes look at “Anderson Cooper 360°” and the stories it covers, written by Anderson Cooper, the AC360° staff and a network of contributors. Insight you can’t find anywhere else.
We search the news each day to show you what’s on our radar and what we’re planning for the show each night.
For more details, read our tips on how to win 360° approval for comments.
Send your instant feedback to Anderson Cooper 360°.
- Real-life effects of reform getting lost in the noise
- Live Blog from the Anchor Desk 12/21/09
- U.S. soldiers in Iraq could face courts-martial for getting pregnant
- FAQs about health care reform
- Interactive: Brittany Murphy’s acting career
- Evening Buzz: Buying Health Care Reform Votes
- Senate health care reform bill
- House health care reform bill
- Interactive: The top 10 Health-Care-Reform Players
- Video: Child custody battle continues
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2005

