Hi, Sasha, Malia. Got a second?
I hope that you're enjoying the White House, by the way.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/03/04/art.obamafampics.jpg]
Red State
Moe Lane
It’s a pretty cool place for people your age, from what I’m told.
Anyway, I just thought that you should know: do you know Sarah & James Parker? They go to your school.
Yeah, them. Are they nice? I’ve never met them, so I don’t know. I do know that their parents really can’t afford to send them to your school without assistance; it’s called the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program, and it lets over 1,700 poor kids in DC get scholarships every year. It’s often called a “voucher” program, although people who like school choice wouldn’t agree: they want everybody to have the chance to pick the best schools for their kid, instead of just a small number. Still, this program is helping people who are usually making about half of much as the federal poverty level; it’s hard to dispute that it’s a good one. I’m sure that Sarah & James think that it’s a good program.
Unfortunately, Senator Dick Durbin (D, IL) wants to throw them out of your school.
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Filed under: Economy • Education • President Barack Obama |
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I think the voucher program is good and should be expanded. But I don't think I need to pull in the Obama children to make that point – too bad the authors of this article did. I guess they didn't think the issue was important enough to garner attention in its own right without involving the names of the President's children.
@ Momof3........... I agree. Leave the Obama girls out of politics.
I always thought that our socialist president Barack Hussein Obama was for the poor, working and middle class. Why won't he send his kids to public schools to set an example. Seems to me he is a hypocrite.
I'm so disgusted after reading this that I can't even focus on the point that's being made.
I agree, DON'T BRING IN THE KIDS! There is a better way, a straight-forward way, to broach this. I'm sure you thought it would be cute, but it is exploitative.
I'm not particularly fond of the voucher system, not because it doesn't give opportunity to children like the Parkers, but because it does it at the exclusion of improving funding for public schools. It is a classic Republican manuever...to be elitist while trying to look like a philanthropist.
If we fund our public schools so that the Parker kids can get a quality education at them rather than HAVING to go to a private school, then it wouldn't matter, would it? But that would mean all those poor minorities kids would have the same opportunities as our rich white kids! Can't let that happen, one of them might decide to run for President of the US...oh, wait a minute, that's already happened!
These wealthy schools should fund their own scholarships without taxpayer money. Taxpayer money should go to improving the public schools so that they are on par with these high class ritzy schools. Then there would not be a need to discuss whether all students are getting a good education or not because they all will.
Pick on someone your own size ... Bully!
Oh please. Could politics in this country sink any lower?
I agree with Adrienne. It's cute when Tom Foreman does his letters to Obama, but this was just sleazy. There's nothing wrong with disagreeing with someone on policy–just don't make your arguments by exploiting their children.
N.Baksh: Where in the story does it say anything about a Republican Agenda? The Senator they are speaking about it a Democrat. Maybe you should go back and read the story again, before blogging accusing remarks!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, I know that he was very nice to you two. Your father is the President of the United States; and before that he was one of Durbin’s coworkers. That means that Durbin sees both of you as people.
This is revolting. Why is this blog giving publicity to this trash.
This whole discussion reminded me the movie "First Daughter" with Katie Holmes. The film is a romantic comedy, and even silly, but it shows that, at least, in the next four years the life for first daughter will not be the same.
Great point, but the President's children have nothing to do with it. Leave them out of it.
I started reading this blog/ article, whatever you want to call it and I thought that it was innocent enough...but I find it very mis-leading, and it uses Sasha and Malia as a ploy to attract people to the article. There is a better way! Don't use the girls for a republican agenda, because that's all that it is, being against something, and putting people different to yourself down!
Interesting point, but it could have been made with addressing Sasha and Malia directly. They don't set administration policy.
From what I understood the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program is a program to increase educational opportunities for students and low-income families in Washington.
If this is a legitimate program, which is taking effective results, which is reaching its goals, why Senator Durbin wants to finish it?
Help me ... I think it was very raw politics to me!
I think this program should be kept so that students have access to learning in environments that are best for them – if the program is going well.
Don't pull the president's kids into a political argument. It's sleazy!