Obama harms children in return for NEA union support.

[Nick Gromicko]

Obama, who enjoys National Education Association support, opposes Bush's school choice programs, which give children the opportunity to get out of expensive-per-student, poor performing, dangerous D.C. public school systems, at no cost to us taxpayers.

The only thing worse than harming all these children and destroying their futures, by denying them school choice,... would be if he then sent his own kids to a private school.

Well that's what he did this week.

D.C. is the worst public school system in the U.S. The first and second graders in D.C. should line up and throw rotten tomatoes at Obama's limo.

[Nick Gromicko]

School choice makes so much sense. We tax payers are already paying for kids to go to crappy schools. Instead, why not give the money to the parents in the form of vouchers and let them send their kids to a private school if they choose to? The D.C. public school system costs taxpayers $13,000 per year, per student. Applying market forces to our educational system would force schools to compete, reduce class size, help millions of children, and keep America's future strong.

Opposed to school choice? Fine. Deny school choice to the poor in D.C.? Fine. But don't be a hypocrite.

[Nick Gromicko]

I don't knock Obama for putting his kids in a good private school. But why not permit all the other parents in the D.C. area the same option... especially since it costs taxpayers nothing?

[Nick Gromicko]

Also, school choice doesn't harm the school district either.

The money you pull out of the school district in form of vouchers is compensated by removing the burden of that extra student who leaves for a better private school.

[Michael Larson]

Parents who send their kids to private schools or home school them still pay property and income taxes which fund education.

They do not receive an voucher or significant tax breaks.

If they did send their kids to government schools the tax authorities would have to raise taxes to pay for the added teachers and facilities.

In a very real way those of us who choose to private or home schools our kids pay higher taxes because we do not use the government school system.

Vouchers diminish the power of the teachers unions and are adamantly opposed by them.

[Russell J. Hensel]

My God I have read a few of Michaels latest posts.......and I agree with him! I hate school of choice...have you seen bus stops? 7 bus's stop at ONE bus stop! How is that no cost to the tax payers? You want a better education? Get off your arse and move to a better area. Thats what my parents did. They saved and did without so I could go to a private school. If you get everything handed to you and have the same as the successful....what is your reason to get off your arse and succeed? People live in the ghetto because they want to live in the Ghetto...(for the most part).

[nwagner]

I don't buy into that Prussian concept of depending solely upon an educational warehouse to transform our children into whatever role in society they are best suited for. These inner city schools fail because the children don't take their instruction seriously, nor do their parents. Private schools enjoy success solely because the kids and their children have the dedication to learn, not because of differences in the social engineering practices of the school beaurocracies.

I'm not concerned about the class sizes, standardized test averages, etc. of the public schools I am sending my children to because I will personally tutor them after school. With access to education virtually unimpeded in this Information Age, it is appalling that parents expect the schools to magically transform poorly parented children into functional members of society.

[lkrausz]

It is about time to back your new President elect. Stop bad mouthing him just because he beat Sara. All of us have a right to better ourself. Most of us work to accomplish this. I dont see where taking a voucher will make a lazy person any more willing to work harder to better them self, just maybe accomplish more disruption in the school room for the rest.

[David P. Valley]

Barack H. Obama. The H= stands for hypocrite.

Earlier this year, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Obama was in support of charter schools, BUT he was “skeptical of private school vouchers.”

Recently, Obama addressed the NAACP’s annual convention, promising that he would not “walk away” from American public schools like John McCain did. OK....then why are his daughters going to a private school? IMO, he's contradicting his claims. I guess he's not obligated to his beliefs.

Any parents who put their children first (before anything else) are to be admired and emulated. Politicians (who are parents) and who have the power to let others make the choices they can make, but refuse to do so, are inconsistent at best and hypocrites at worst.

[whandley]

In what socialist society would the subject country's power base, "Leaders", be sending their children to a public school system?

Are you suggesting the politicians that run the USSA - "United Socialist States of America", are some how similar to the rest of us working stiffs?

Come on now.....

I'm off now to a 10AM inspection, while the politicians are enjoying a long winter holiday break thinking of additional ways to separate me from my money.

*Note I didn't say "Christmas" break....

[Kenneth Lott]

You can't control what kids are taught in private schools! God forbid, they might grow up believing in God and creation, or end up smart enough to know when they are being duped, or even have the ability, to excel on their own, instead of relying on government props. They took God out of the schools, now it is time to take the spirit out of the kids.

[Darren Spencer]

Originally Posted by rhensel

My God I have read a few of Michaels latest posts.......and I agree with him! I hate school of choice...have you seen bus stops? 7 bus's stop at ONE bus stop! How is that no cost to the tax payers? You want a better education? Get off your arse and move to a better area. Thats what my parents did. They saved and did without so I could go to a private school. If you get everything handed to you and have the same as the successful....what is your reason to get off your arse and succeed? People live in the ghetto because they want to live in the Ghetto...(for the most part).

I lived in a State with open choice and if you choose a school not on a bus route it was up to the parents to get the student(s) to school.

[Kenneth Lott]

Small price to pay.

[nwagner]

Originally Posted by klott

They took God out of the schools

What are public schools supposed to do? Violate that pesky little Separation of Church and State concept in the Constitution by imposing your Christian beliefs upon the children?

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by nwagner

What are public schools supposed to do? Violate that pesky little Separation of Church and State concept in the Constitution by imposing your Christian beliefs upon the children?

Do some research on what actually happened before you spout off.