Obamas Join D.C.'s Private School Status Race

[ben_meyers]

Obamas Join D.C.'s Private School Status Race: Margaret Carlson

Commentary by Margaret Carlson

Nov. 13 (Bloomberg) -- First lady-to-be Michelle Obama may drive a Ford Escape hybrid and dress in J. Crew rather than the Valentino preferred by the self-defined down-home Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. But she is unlikely to burnish her populist credentials by choosing a Washington public school for the Obama girls, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7.

Unlike other elected officials embarrassed when the personal deviates from the public, the Obamas aren't even pretending to consider public schools, in spite of President-elect Barack Obama's praise in one of the debates of celebrated Washington school Chancellor Michelle Rhee. No matter where they stand on vouchers or charter schools, rarely does a member of Congress or a Cabinet official, Democrat or Republican, send their children to public school.

The last White House child to go to public school was Amy Carter and it wasn't exactly normal. She couldn't go outdoors for recess and even the shortest of the Secret Service men couldn't help being obvious.(snip)

My daughter is rooting for the Obamas to choose her alma mater. I'm more pragmatic. If Malia and Sasha go to Maret, all children will want to go to Maret and it will make it that much harder for my grandchildren to get in when the time comes. All politics is personal.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=a_ndtEHRElL8&refer=home

Just a little snark, but that how the swells live.

[gratefultobelib]

1. I don't care where they go; I just want them to be protected.

[rosesaylavee]

3. Ditto

67 more days of this kind of news. Whooo boy.

[Tallison]

2. Maret is like the Oberlin, Wesleyan, or St. Johns College of DC private schools

And I can see the Obamas going for it.

I'm not sure maintaining top security would be as feasible at a public school.

[frazzled]

4. I should think they'd want one with an educational approach in line with ...

that of the University of Chicago Lab School, which is where they went before. If such a thing exists in the D.C. private schools.

The Lab School is rather unique for being within the campus of a major university, and drawing on a lot of the resources of that community.

[elleng]

5. Don't know what the approach at Lab is;

if its somewhat unusual, this might be the place, tho only thru 6th grade:

http://www.lowellschool.org/

[JeanGrey]

6. It really sticks in my craw that our lawmakers see fit to snub

our public schools and put their darlings in private will acting like they are just fine for us.

[olegramps]

7. In the case of the President and other high ranking members:

Placing a child of a high ranking government member in a public school is in my opinion foolish. The security that would be required would be disruptive for the entire school. There are just too many disturbed people in our society to risk it. I would especially be concerned about the racists and religious extremists that Sarah Palin whipped up to a frenzy with her message of hatred and division. If anything happens to their children I would hold the Prophetess of Hatred, Sarah Palin, personally responsible.

[Papagoose]

8. I honestly can't blame them

Admittedly, I am a product of private schools from Montessori through High School. I sent my daughter to private school from K through sixth grade, but due to financial constraints, I moved her to public school for seventh grade last year. I knew public school would be a change, but I was not prepared for how much of a change it was. We live in an under performing district and my daughter's school is in its second year of "Failure to Make Adequate Yearly Progress". It is unlikely that there will be any improvement next year when the dreaded "Loss of Accreditation" starts to be a consideration. I have tried very hard to do my part to help make improvement. I attend PTA and school board meetings and offer my suggestions. I volunteer as much as possible. I honestly do believe in public education - but when it comes to my daughter's future, I can't afford to simply stand on principle as she falls further and further behind the expectations and goals she and I share for her education. I am in the middle of rearranging my finances so that I can send her to a private high school that I absolutely cannot afford.

As far as the Obama family - they have much more at stake then educational quality. Their security and privacy concerns can most likely be better met at a private school. I would imagine that the precautions that would be necessary will impact fewer children at a small private school than at a larger public school.