Posted on 11/21/2008 7:30:22 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
WASHINGTON - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, have chosen a private school in northwestern Washington, D.C., for their two daughters on Friday, where former President Bill Clinton's daughter, Chelsea, has studied.
"A number of great schools were considered. In the end, the Obamas selected the school that was the best fit for what their daughters need right now," said Katie McCormick Lelyveld, a spokeswoman for Michelle Obama.
Obama's daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, would move to the capital with their parents from Chicago, Illinois, after his father is sworn in as the next president on Jan. 20.
The two girls "bring with them a number of security and privacy concerns that come with being part of the new first family -- and the school they've selected is positioned to appropriately accommodate that," said Lelyveld.
The Sidwell Friends School is chosen to take in Malia in the fifth grade and Sasha in the second grade, but the two would attend schools at different locations.
Lelyveld also said that the Obamas had taken public schools into consideration, but they still felt that a private school was in the best interest of their children.
"Mrs. Obama is the product of public education on the South Side of Chicago and she believes strongly in the importance of good public schools for all kids," Lelyveld said.
It is not the first time for the school to receive a White House child.
President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, also chose Sidwell for their daughter, Chelsea, in 1993.
CHANGE you can believe in....continues. They cannot even CHANGE from the school the Clinton’s used....
all of the house/senate, etc with money keep their kids in private schools.
not suprised here. the NEA is worthless. and the feds don’t want to admit it, but want all of us to put our kids in public schools.
Different source article, same topic, for folks who want to see more responses...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2136264/posts
I wonder when Joe Biden will resign the Vice Presidency for “health reasons” so Hillary can take his place?
It makes sense though. They have experience with having a President’s daughter in the school so they can feel more confortable and the President can concentrate on getting things he needs to do instead of worrying everyday whether his kids are safe or not. Just smart judgement in my opinion.
I don’t blame them. I wouldn’t allow my kids to step foot in the public school in DC. However, it’s too bad Obama doesn’t support vouchers for families that can’t afford the luxury he and Michelle have. Do as I say, not as I do and don’t make what I do available to everyone isn’t really change I believe in.
Hmmmmm....did you post to the wrong thread? Although interesting....if VP resigns....an APPOINTMENT takes place....I doubt Hillary would be the choice.
As far as I am concerned, Kids are off limits. If the obamas want their kids in private school, god bless them. It isn’t their fault who their daddy is.
They probably are more used to Muslims in a private school, anyway.
Well, at least they are less likely to be punished with a baby there.
It’s a smart choice dripping with hypocrisy and arrogance.
I meant an appointment (Sec’y of State is further down the succession list nowadays). Hillary and Bill have just been elected to a de facto third term. Look at President-elect Obama’s cabinet and advisor picks so far. Might as well make her VP and make it official.
Good luck to these two little girls in their new environment and their new school.
It's Clinton's third term.
[Lelyveld also said that the Obamas had taken public schools into consideration, but they still felt that a private school was in the best interest of their children.]
Of course, the public schools they force our children into are not “in the best interest of their children.” Elitist scum! It galls me to no end that a large percentage of Americans do not see a problem with this.
You never know - god forbid - the obamas could be grandparents by the time their four years are out or bho is impeached.
They are liberals, after all.
“A number of great schools were considered.”
I’ll bet that NONE of them wer publick skules.
$16,000 per year per student spent on pubic skools in DC.
Yet somehow they feel the need to send their chilruns to private school. Public schools are for the unwashed masses. apparently.
`what the NEA thinks’
It’s something like NOW defending Clinton ... Democrats are experts at `doublethink’/cognitive dissonance/hypocrisy.
Something tells me this Sec of State thing won’t last long...then HillBill will be out in the cold....no Senate seat...no Adminstration seat.....you watch. Sec State serves at the whim of the President, right?
The way I see it, nobobody and nothing is off limits. Especially when our enemy give us no such consideration.
What other government handouts do you favor? How about free vouchers for medical care?
True...you are 100 percent right but as a parent I would take that ahead of public opinion. As a matter of fact, I could give a crap what people would think about me sending my kids to the school I chose....Extremely arrogant on my part but that is most likely the only area I personally would be 100 percent arrogant and full of hypocrisy if I were him. I won’t take his side on hardly anything but this I do....actually this might be the only thing. :)
Sidwell is for the most part, a secure location for the first family. They have lots fo VIP kids, and need not adjust anything for these kids to attand.
A DC public school would have to be completely upgrade in terms of security, food prep, mail and teachers, staff and kids.
Obama’s kids are prime target for the next four year. Keeping them secure is much easier at Sidwell.
Now, We'll all suffer for your stupidity! ...grrrr 
Man, is Hillary sending over some snapshots of the decorations in the residential area so they can mimic that too?
Oh Dear God, I have never seen that picture before!
And I could do with never ever seeing it again. The imagination can be a frightening thing!
You mean like Sarah Palin?
You’re an idiot.
I’m perfectly fine with this. Why should they punish their children to make a political point? If they can afford private school, then they should do it.
Then they can see the light and support school choice for the rest of us.
Most of them have their own kids in private or parochail schools.
It’s that they should punish their children; it’s that all Democrats are hypocrits by sending their children to private schools while preventing many others by not supporting school choice, and by letting teacher’s unions run amok.
That's probably the idea behind his choice of Hil. Can you imagine life without HillBill? We'll miss them like we'd miss a broken arm.
There are bigger fish to fry than this, IMO.
I cannot blame the Obamas for choosing a good private school for their girls. The idiot Jimmie Carter submitted his daughter, Amy, to the DC public schools. I doubt she learned anything.
However, liberals are certainly two-faced. They ought to reconsider their opposition to vouchers for private education. But, no, that would hurt the feelings of the teachers’ union. So, they throw their liberal, uneducated supporters under the bus as soon as they are elected.
where the bush girls off limits ???
NO !!!!!!
And they attended a public high school !
Glad he and his wife have the choice to spend their money on private school. Now, how about helping other parents use their tax money to do the same?
how is not supporting school choices preventing people from sending their kids to private schools? which, by definition, are private, and as long as one can meet the admission and tuition requirement, one is in.
nothing to do with public school choices.
:On the other hand, if they sent the Presidential Daughters to a public school, there would be the constant security/Secret Service/media disruptions to the other kids, teachers, and families.”
How about Michelle home schools them: no motorcades to deal with, U.S.S.S gets better controled environment, and it keeps their mother busy at something other than running her mouth. Now THAT would be pragmatic parenting.
That's quite a "point", when the most expensive publik Skouls in the country are a punishment...
“Mrs. Obama is the product of public education on the South Side of Chicago and she believes strongly in the importance of good public schools for all kids”
Just not for her kids
Who are not in public school in Chicago, either
That plus public schools suck.
Actually, the Bush girls attended private schools prior to high school (Hockaday & St Andrews), also, their father wasn’t President while the girls were in H.S. in Austin (class of 2000).
I think you misunderstood me.
If they were to send them to DC public schools, just to say they did, it would be punishment.
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