The dirty communist!

OMFG !! Why didn't we elect McCain instead ! This is terrible !!!!

Obviously they'll attend a public school, right? It's only fair.

He can afford to send his kids wherever he wants, and good for him.

MacG: Obviously they'll attend a public school, right? It's only fair.

I imagine the Secret Service would have something to say about that.

I'm a Republican and I suspect that there are going to be security considerations for the kids that will overrule where they would normally go.

And let's leave the kids out of this.

Wake me when they use their wealth and power to avoid serving in the military like, oh, just about everybody from the Bush administration.

My apologies:

Wake me when they use their wealth and power to avoid serving meaningful service in the military like, oh, just about everybody from the Bush administration.

FTFM

Oh, so it's OK to go after the kids if they are Obama's kids? Stay classy Repubs.

Private school would probably be a better option from a security standpoint, and be less of a distraction for the other students.

I bet they look the other way if Trig goes to a special school.

I didn't care where Chelsea Clinton went to school. I didn't care where the Bush girls went to school. I don't care now.

i'm going to go ahead and vote for st. alban's school for boys. the older they get, the more they'll appreciate it.

Children of presidents go to private schools. Obama is also not a hypocrite for having Secret Service protection.

What he doesn't trust the DC police to protect him?

No, he doesn't.

really?

ZOMG - I hear Obama and his family are moving into a multi-million dollar home in Washington, D.C. with servants and staff!! I thought he was supposed to represent the middle-class!!

This made me laugh:

"The current First Dog, Barney, apparently is tired of the job. The Scottish terrier bit a reporter from Reuters today."

ExJerseyGirl: This made me laugh:

"The current First Dog, Barney, apparently is tired of the job. The Scottish terrier bit a reporter from Reuters today."

Bush probably got stressed out when the White House got rushed election night, and he was beating the dog, trying to make it defend him.

But even his own dog won't do THAT.

I have no problem with him sending his kids to private schools, I have a problem with his hypocrisy. He specifically argued against vouchers, which would allow everyone to choose a private school, because that would be "abandoning the public schools". Yet when it came to choose where he wanted his daughters to go to school, he did exactly that.

And, it should be noted, he made this decision long before he was even running for President. So the security issue had nothing to do with it.

There should be no private schools. It dilutes the educational pool and is essentially "separate but equal" except for the rich. Further, schools should be reassigned according to diversity and intelligence. Intelligent kids should be required to tutor the lower learning kids.

EatHam: He can afford to send his kids wherever he wants, and good for him.

THIS.

Let's leave the kids alone.

His most important job is still being the parent of his two kids. He has the right and evidently the financial wherewithal to send them anywhere he wants and he should. There is no way with security they can go to public school anyway. Does this make him a hypocrite on the voucher issue? No, he can afford private school on his own and do can other people.

sloppy shoes: There should be no private schools. It dilutes the educational pool and is essentially "separate but equal" except for the rich. Further, schools should be reassigned according to diversity and intelligence. Intelligent kids should be required to tutor the lower learning kids.

Yeah, dumb the smart kids down to the LCD, that'll work in a century where brainpower is the most important natural resource.

What...do people want him to send them to a DC public school?

GAT_00: Oh, so it's OK to go after the kids if they are Obama's kids? Stay classy Repubs.

Considering all of the Trig-related "tard" jokes that popped up around here, I don't think anyone can claim class when it comes to the candidates' kids.

drunk_bouncnbaloruber: What...do people want him to send them to a DC public school?

Unless he supports vouchers some will seize on this as Obama being a hypocrite.

'elite' usually just means 'got money' and not necessarily 'gifted', right? in spite of all the rich folks who swear their spawn is gifted.

well, let the Obamas send their children wherever they want to send their children. if only they can get a real education czar to clean up the corruption in the public school system (a system that republicans -- and the black leaders they stole the idea from -- think is fixable with vouchers) .... well, a woman can dream. as long as the girls do well in school, though, that's all that matters.

drunk_bouncnbaloruber: What...do people want him to send them to a DC public school?

Again, the problem isn't that he's sending his kids to a private school. It's that he's specifically condemned "abandoning the public schools" in response to proposals to let people who aren't super-rich send their kids to private schools.

Hey if he want to send his kids to a private school then it is his right to do so, so long as that school meets curriculum requirements set by the appropriate government entities and the taxpayers don't have to pay for it.

Are we really talking about this? Really?

Death to PITA

Churchill2004: Again, the problem isn't that he's sending his kids to a private school. It's that he's specifically condemned "abandoning the public schools" in response to proposals to let people who aren't super-rich send their kids to private schools

His tax dollars still go to the public education system right?

Non issue. his tax dollars aren't any more special than mine or yours. He's using private funds to send his kids to school.

earlm: sloppy shoes: There should be no private schools. It dilutes the educational pool and is essentially "separate but equal" except for the rich. Further, schools should be reassigned according to diversity and intelligence. Intelligent kids should be required to tutor the lower learning kids.

Yeah, dumb the smart kids down to the LCD, that'll work in a century where brainpower is the most important natural resource.

Actually it makes everyone smarter. If applied with concepts like group tests or common grades amongst the class then it would force kids to collectively improve. Further, as someone who has tutored and taught, I can tell you that when you get kids to explain the material the learn better than if they just "study" it.

The absolute failures can be subtracted from the system by the 10th grade and trained for service labor. (Though we don't deny them the ability to retest and enter the system).

When I have children, I hope I can send them to an "elite" private school, but I will tell you this much, as a product of the public school system...my children will not go that route.
Good for him, putting his childrens safety and education above all of the bad press he will get from the fox news's of the world.

I don't see why this keeps making the news. A black man being president is going to piss a lot of crazy skinheads across America off. He would be a terrible parent if he didn't try to send his kids to the most secure school possible.

Mordant: I bet they look the other way if Trig goes to a special school.

I lol'd and felt guilty afterwards.

sloppy shoes: earlm: sloppy shoes: There should be no private schools. It dilutes the educational pool and is essentially "separate but equal" except for the rich. Further, schools should be reassigned according to diversity and intelligence. Intelligent kids should be required to tutor the lower learning kids.

Yeah, dumb the smart kids down to the LCD, that'll work in a century where brainpower is the most important natural resource.

Actually it makes everyone smarter. If applied with concepts like group tests or common grades amongst the class then it would force kids to collectively improve. Further, as someone who has tutored and taught, I can tell you that when you get kids to explain the material the learn better than if they just "study" it.

The absolute failures can be subtracted from the system by the 10th grade and trained for service labor. (Though we don't deny them the ability to retest and enter the system).

As long as there is an out for those who can't or won't hack it your system is viable.

Churchill2004: I have no problem with him sending his kids to private schools, I have a problem with his hypocrisy. He specifically argued against vouchers, which would allow everyone to choose a private school, because that would be "abandoning the public schools". Yet when it came to choose where he wanted his daughters to go to school, he did exactly that.

And, it should be noted, he made this decision long before he was even running for President. So the security issue had nothing to do with it.

[citation needed]

So? When the Republicans do it, then it's a-okay? I thought paying your own way and all that was what the Republicans loved. I thought Republicans loved the idea of vouchers so parents had options.

So Obama should put his kids in a public program? So we should have public programs for everything, like healthcare?

His kids are going to have Secret Service protection, that will probably be easier to do in a smaller private school than a larger public school.

Don't reichwingers ever get tired of being insufferable douchebags? Can't you try just for once to make the country a better place? You might actually like the feeling of being a positive force for change if you try it.

Churchill2004: drunk_bouncnbaloruber: What...do people want him to send them to a DC public school?

Again, the problem isn't that he's sending his kids to a private school. It's that he's specifically condemned "abandoning the public schools" in response to proposals to let people who aren't super-rich send their kids to private schools.

The issue with vouchers is the public money leaving the school system, not necessarily the individual kid. The Obama's are using their money to pay for their girls to go to school where they choose. The tax money that is going to the public school system is not being redirected to a private school.

sloppy shoes: There should be no private schools. It dilutes the educational pool and is essentially "separate but equal" except for the rich. Further, schools should be reassigned according to diversity and intelligence. Intelligent kids should be required to tutor the lower learning kids.

Let me guess, you went to public school, because holy shiat are you stupid.

I went to Catholic HS for 9th & 10th grade and public HS for 11th & 12th. My public school was much, much better than the Catholic one. I actually had to take sophomore classes my junior year because I was behind the public school curriculum. Thankfully I was able to catch up.

arkansas: And let's leave the kids out of this.

This

sloppy shoes: There should be no private schools. It dilutes the educational pool and is essentially "separate but equal" except for the rich. Further, schools should be reassigned according to diversity and intelligence. Intelligent kids should be required to tutor the lower learning kids.

Why should gifted children be stuck teaching losers?

Churchill2004: I have no problem with him sending his kids to private schools, I have a problem with his hypocrisy. He specifically argued against vouchers, which would allow everyone to choose a private school, because that would be "abandoning the public schools". Yet when it came to choose where he wanted his daughters to go to school, he did exactly that.

He's still paying taxes that support public schools, yes? Vouchers would reduce funding for public schools, that's the argument against them. Given the choice, who wouldn't send their kid to a private school? But most people can't afford that.

He (and Biden too) got flak for expressing the crazy socialist notion that wealthy people should help the common good by paying a bit more in taxes, and this is an example. He'll be paying for his own kids - because he can - while serving the common good by paying taxes that help other people's kids in public school as well.

So where's the hypocrisy, exactly?

Sapient: sloppy shoes: There should be no private schools. It dilutes the educational pool and is essentially "separate but equal" except for the rich. Further, schools should be reassigned according to diversity and intelligence. Intelligent kids should be required to tutor the lower learning kids.

Let me guess, you went to public school, because holy shiat are you stupid.

Not stupid, but puts equality of outcome over intellectual achievement. It's been going on for 90 years and has brought us to where we are in public ed today.

farkin' heathen: The issue with vouchers is the public money leaving the school system, not necessarily the individual kid. The Obama's are using their money to pay for their girls to go to school where they choose. The tax money that is going to the public school system is not being redirected to a private school.

DNFTEC, man. Arguing with him is like having a conversation with a ROM device.

Let's see. Barack went to Columbia and Harvard. Michelle went to Princeton and Harvard.

I'm going to guess that most of the time, if both of your parents went to private school, that you will go to private school as well.

Wealthy families send their to kids to the best schools their money can afford? Stop the presses.

Befuddled: So? When the Republicans do it, then it's a-okay?

Why are people getting so testy? The article and headline are neutral, and the link is clearly marked as such. Calm down, folks. Talking about what dog he's going to get isn't necessarily an attack on him, either.