Where Obama Sends His Kids Some folks -- usually voucher supporters -- think where candidates' kids go is relevant. Others -- usually voucher opponents -- think it's irrelevant, or even a low blow. Here the New York Sun (Obama and Vouchers) slams the Obama campaign for it's vouchers clarification last week, as well as for Obama (and Clinton) sending their children to private schools. It doesn't seem like a low blow to me, though I think Chelsea attended public school for at least part of the time. Do we know where Obama's kids would go if they went to their neighborhood school, and what the place is like? Do you care that Obama talks a lot about strengthening neighborhood schools but isn't sending his kids to one?
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Mon Feb 25, 2008 at 2:37 PM
Where Obama Sends His Kids
I care. And despite all these candidates' explanations about why they send their kids where they do, it looks like a class issue to me. I'd rather have a president who was a parent of a student in a regular neighborhood CPS school. Love to see that play out.
Mon Feb 25, 2008 at 3:32 PM
Where Obama Sends His Kids
Ok, so what if Senator Obama was from the suburbs, would he not be qualified to lead the country because his kids attended suburban public school instead of an urban public school? Because its more or less the same difference here. Part of being a good parent is finding the very best school for your children to attend, if that happens to be a private school and you can afford the tuition, then you not only have the right, but probably to some extent the responsibility to send your children there. Are we criticizing Senators Obama and Clinton here for being the very best parents they can be? For what reasons, other than political would he send his kids to a neighborhood school? It would make a great photo-op to have Senator Obama walking out of a CPS neighborhood elementary school after parent teacher conferences, but would it somehow improve the performance of that school?
Would it somehow fix the problems of urban education, would other wealthy involved parents then stand in line to get their kids into the neighborhood elementary school where they can walk through a metal detector every day?
Do we also think that people who teach in CPS should have to send their kids to public school? Is a teacher less qualified because her/his children attend a private school?
This is an absolute non-issue. Look at his voting record on public education and if he's elected President we can look at what sort of education policies he advocates. Where he sends his kids to school has absolutely no bearing on what kind of job he would do as President.
Would it somehow fix the problems of urban education, would other wealthy involved parents then stand in line to get their kids into the neighborhood elementary school where they can walk through a metal detector every day?
Do we also think that people who teach in CPS should have to send their kids to public school? Is a teacher less qualified because her/his children attend a private school?
This is an absolute non-issue. Look at his voting record on public education and if he's elected President we can look at what sort of education policies he advocates. Where he sends his kids to school has absolutely no bearing on what kind of job he would do as President.
Mon Feb 25, 2008 at 3:35 PM
Where Obama Sends His Kids
Didn't Chelsea go to Sidwell Friends, the most elite of all private schools in Washington DC? I also think that the school choice of candidates is essentially irrelevant. We expect political leaders to provide leadership and act on all sorts of issues that do not directly affect their families. Just because a politician doesn't have a family member receiving Medicaid, doesn't mean that they can't or won't do something good about Medicaid.
I spent 8 years working as a community organizer in neighborhoods I would never have lived in. Never thought I had to subject my family to the conditions of poverty and crime in those neighborhoods in order to work effectively on their behalf.
I spent 8 years working as a community organizer in neighborhoods I would never have lived in. Never thought I had to subject my family to the conditions of poverty and crime in those neighborhoods in order to work effectively on their behalf.
Mon Feb 25, 2008 at 5:12 PM
Where Obama Sends His Kids
Class
His kids are out of bounds and none of our business.
His kids are out of bounds and none of our business.
Mon Feb 25, 2008 at 5:31 PM
Where Obama Sends His Kids
Once you run for President of the United States no aspect of your life, or your family life is out of bounds. It goes with the deal, you want to be the single most powerful person in the world, your life becomes an open book.
Mon Feb 25, 2008 at 7:16 PM
Where Obama Sends His Kids
Jimmy and Roslyn Carter sent Amy to public school, and the kid, who was terribly shy, was endlessly hounded by the media. Both the Clintons have stated (in 1993 and this past July) that their motivation for sending their daughter to private school was to try to keep her childhood private. The best part of some of these attacks is that people who wanted Chelsea's childhood open for media carrion are now upset that she is in out in public supporting her mother's candidacy.
I find it amusing that many of the same people who are now complaining about Chelsea Clinton supporting her mother's campaign (and who never uttered a peep when Bush's party girl daughters were paraded about for photo-ops of their perfect family) are now inventing reasons to mount loud and smarmy attacks on this young woman's public support because she is a proud daughter whose mother is the first serious female candidate for the Presidency. If my mother, my daughter, my sister or any other female in my family were in this historic position, I would be bursting with pride.
1.4, you are a hypocrite for letting these slams go by at the same time you insist on holding Mr. Audacity of Hype in some rarified regard, somehow exempt and above the fray.
Hillary is not supporting vouchers so she and other well-off families can subsidize their educational choices. Obama's views are self-serving and elitist, and a danger to the future of public education.
Lastly, I'm Catholic, so you can talk to the hand about vouchers to fund your precious kids' religious education. If it's so important to you, you should not expect the government to fund your religious choices.
Your freedom is to have free public education. If you turn it down, you shouldn't expect taxpayers to pay for something else.
If you don't want to park on the street for free, would you expect me to pay for you to garage your car?
I rest my case.
I find it amusing that many of the same people who are now complaining about Chelsea Clinton supporting her mother's campaign (and who never uttered a peep when Bush's party girl daughters were paraded about for photo-ops of their perfect family) are now inventing reasons to mount loud and smarmy attacks on this young woman's public support because she is a proud daughter whose mother is the first serious female candidate for the Presidency. If my mother, my daughter, my sister or any other female in my family were in this historic position, I would be bursting with pride.
1.4, you are a hypocrite for letting these slams go by at the same time you insist on holding Mr. Audacity of Hype in some rarified regard, somehow exempt and above the fray.
Hillary is not supporting vouchers so she and other well-off families can subsidize their educational choices. Obama's views are self-serving and elitist, and a danger to the future of public education.
Lastly, I'm Catholic, so you can talk to the hand about vouchers to fund your precious kids' religious education. If it's so important to you, you should not expect the government to fund your religious choices.
Your freedom is to have free public education. If you turn it down, you shouldn't expect taxpayers to pay for something else.
If you don't want to park on the street for free, would you expect me to pay for you to garage your car?
I rest my case.
Mon Feb 25, 2008 at 7:21 PM
Where Obama Sends His Kids
Everybody makes great points about this but here's my take. I would like the opportunity to have a voucher to send my children where his children go. I'm middle class and I don't work for U or C and don't qualify for a break in tuition. Perhaps, if I had a voucher, I could "pony up" the rest of the money and send my children to the Lab school. I am fortunate enough to have my children enrolled in two great successful Chicago Public Schools, but one of my children is sitting in a room with 35 other students. I have to pay for a tutor. So, either he can work to fix public schools or let me have the choice to take my voucher and go elsewhere. This is a question of class and how much one earns. He lives in Hyde Park, I believe his neighborhood school may be Ray, which isn't doing so bad in the ISAT department (if that's what we're using to compare a good vs. bad school). I just want someone to give the schools the money they need to be successful.
Mon Feb 25, 2008 at 7:28 PM
Where Obama Sends His Kids
Kids
Leave the kids of public figures alone to be kids.
Leave the kids of public figures alone to be kids.
Mon Feb 25, 2008 at 7:55 PM
Where Obama Sends His Kids
For me there are aspects of this issue that ring true, and then others that feel irrelevant. For the most part, and after nearly two decades of advocacy on behalf of public school kids, I don't think much about the argument that subjecting more kids - those who have options, no less - to the quality of education in CPS would help improve public education. Having known hundreds of kids who would have loved to have the opportunity for a better schooling experience - and who would have made the most out of it, too - I cannot fault any family for making a non-CPS choice. This would include the Obamas.
The times that I have found validity in this argument involve administrators or others in positions of power who make decisions for "other people's children" that are so different from the choices they make for their own children. For instance, if those who force more and more testing on CPS also feel their own children shouldn't be subjected to it - then that is problematic to me.
I acknowledge that a President Obama could very well fit into this latter category, too.
The times that I have found validity in this argument involve administrators or others in positions of power who make decisions for "other people's children" that are so different from the choices they make for their own children. For instance, if those who force more and more testing on CPS also feel their own children shouldn't be subjected to it - then that is problematic to me.
I acknowledge that a President Obama could very well fit into this latter category, too.
Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 7:30 PM
Where Obama Sends His Kids
Where people send their kids is important because it illustrates their priorities. I think these types questions should also be asked to anyone claiming to advocate for students.
Here's my version: If someone advocates for school choice, they should also advocate for low income students to attend the same school or type of school that their children attend. For example, if they send their kids to an expensive private school, and they advocate for school choice, it is not fair for them to grant the low income students only the ability to choose only between bad schools. If they live in a great suburb, they should advocate for cross-district public school choice.
This idea of increasing "choice" for some but not for others is why the Utah voucher program failed. It didn't provide enough assistance for low income parents to send their kids to acceptable schools, so it wasn't increasing their choice at all.
Here's my version: If someone advocates for school choice, they should also advocate for low income students to attend the same school or type of school that their children attend. For example, if they send their kids to an expensive private school, and they advocate for school choice, it is not fair for them to grant the low income students only the ability to choose only between bad schools. If they live in a great suburb, they should advocate for cross-district public school choice.
This idea of increasing "choice" for some but not for others is why the Utah voucher program failed. It didn't provide enough assistance for low income parents to send their kids to acceptable schools, so it wasn't increasing their choice at all.
Sun Mar 2, 2008 at 4:46 PM
Where Obama Sends His Kids
It matters to me. Just like it matters to me that City Council people send their kids to private school. Why? Because I want to see city officials invested in, concerned about (in a very personal way), and truly aware of the issues public schools are facing.
I imagine those who send their kids to private schools in the city might choose their aldermen on the same basis.
It's not about invading the children's privacy (to those who keep posting to leave the kids' lives alone). It's still about their parents. And when their parents choose to send them to private school, to me, it makes them less sensitive to the issues public schools face. Should they all have the choice? Of course. Do I begrudge anyone for choosing a private school. Of course not.
Does it matter, however? Yes. Somehow, it just does.
That said, I still voted for Obama. No candidate can meet ALL my criteria. But did I rush to find out where he sent his kids when he first decided to run? You bet I did. And was I disappointed at what I found? Very.
I imagine those who send their kids to private schools in the city might choose their aldermen on the same basis.
It's not about invading the children's privacy (to those who keep posting to leave the kids' lives alone). It's still about their parents. And when their parents choose to send them to private school, to me, it makes them less sensitive to the issues public schools face. Should they all have the choice? Of course. Do I begrudge anyone for choosing a private school. Of course not.
Does it matter, however? Yes. Somehow, it just does.
That said, I still voted for Obama. No candidate can meet ALL my criteria. But did I rush to find out where he sent his kids when he first decided to run? You bet I did. And was I disappointed at what I found? Very.
Sun Mar 2, 2008 at 5:40 PM
Where Obama Sends His Kids
I remember being depressed when the Clintons choose Sidwell Friends for Chelsea, but now that I'm a parent of school age kids, I truly believe that every parent has the right (and in fact, the obligation) to choose his or her child's school, based on whatever criteria is important to them. And since I don't know the Obama's criteria, I can't judge.
However, like many others on this site do, I can use my energy to work hard to create much much better public school options for all of Chicago's kids, whether they live in 60657 or 60621.
However, like many others on this site do, I can use my energy to work hard to create much much better public school options for all of Chicago's kids, whether they live in 60657 or 60621.
Sun Mar 2, 2008 at 5:41 PM
Where Obama Sends His Kids
I'm assuming that Shoesmith would be their local public school (even though their house seems closer to Kozminski).
Sun Jul 27, 2008 at 1:15 PM
Where Obama Sends His Kids
Where Obama sends his kids may not be our business. But if he becomes president, where our kids are educated is his business! I'm still amazed that there are people in America who believe that the government can do a better job at anything (except for national security) than a private enterprise. School vouchers take power away from government and put it where it belongs - in the hands of the people.
Sun Jul 27, 2008 at 1:54 PM
Where Obama Sends His Kids
I'm still amazed people think education should be privatized. Should we privatize the military? Should we privatize all our public roads? Libertarianism is as simple-minded as communism....they're just opposite ends of the political spectrum. Building and maintaining a prodcutive society requires complex systems with a mixture of government and private services.
Sun Jul 27, 2008 at 8:46 PM
Where Obama Sends His Kids
MB writes: I'm still amazed people think education should be privatized. Should we privatize the military? Should we privatize all our public roads?
Actually, the military does contract out particular goods and services to private companies. Where private companies can be more efficient at providing goods and services than government, that should be done.
As far as national defense on the whole, only the government can marshal the enormous resources necessary to the task.
You seem to think that educaiton is the same; but it's quite different. Until very recently in human history, education was always by private--often charitable and church--concerns. Obviously, education through private entities is up to the task.
Government-run public schools are a failure for at least half of all the students they attempt to "educate" based upon graduation rates. Even among those who manage to obtain a high school diploma, employers and college professors complain that too many are not ready for work or academia.
Government-run schools are just one means of achieving the goals of public education. If charter schools, vouchers for private school, and "virtual" schools work better for certain students, then by all means public dollars should be spent on behalf of students at those schools.
Actually, the military does contract out particular goods and services to private companies. Where private companies can be more efficient at providing goods and services than government, that should be done.
As far as national defense on the whole, only the government can marshal the enormous resources necessary to the task.
You seem to think that educaiton is the same; but it's quite different. Until very recently in human history, education was always by private--often charitable and church--concerns. Obviously, education through private entities is up to the task.
Government-run public schools are a failure for at least half of all the students they attempt to "educate" based upon graduation rates. Even among those who manage to obtain a high school diploma, employers and college professors complain that too many are not ready for work or academia.
Government-run schools are just one means of achieving the goals of public education. If charter schools, vouchers for private school, and "virtual" schools work better for certain students, then by all means public dollars should be spent on behalf of students at those schools.
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