“60 Minutes”: 8 Reasons Why the Obama Girls Should Attend Public School
Sasha and Malia Obama have to be the cutest kids to live in the White House since Caroline Kennedy and John, Jr. Last night on “60 Minutes”, Michelle Obama was asked if the children would attend public school:
[Kroft] Did you seriously consider sending the girls to public school?
You know, we’re still in the process of figuring out that transition and what we have asked people to understand is that the decision that we make will be based on the best interests of the girls. We haven’t made that decision yet. We want that to be a personal process, and people have been really good about respecting that.
I do respect the Obama’s decision as parents to choose the best school for their girls, but most parents in the United States do not have this luxury. I am a public school teacher, and I strongly support public education as a necessity in a democracy. It is a personal decision of the Obama family where their children attend school, but politically, public school would be the best decision.
Here are five reasons why Sasha and Malia should attend public school:
- It sends a message that Obama believes in public education: Politician after politician states that they support public education, but when it comes to their own children, public schools are not good enough. This hypocritical message tarnishes public opinion of our school system, and it furthers the view of politicians as elitist. Sasha and Malia currently attend private school in Chicago.
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- Public school curriculum will reflect Obama’s environmental mandate: Republicans, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, have vetoed climate change as part of the science curriculum. If our president, who believes and wants to act quickly on climate change, sends his children to public school, scientific-based environmental education will become part of the curriculum. If I were Sasha and Malia’s teacher, I would certainly follow their father’s lead on global warming issues.
- Sasha and Malia will be safe: The most common reason I have heard in favor of private education for the Obama girls is their safety. For some reason, there is a public perception that private schools are safer than public schools. Sure the Obama girls require extra protection as members of the first family, but private schools are not immune to school shootings. If you can’t keep Sasha and Malia safe at public school, then my kids aren’t safe there either.
- Private does not mean less public in terms of media attention: Bill Clinton chose to send Chelsea to private school in order to protect her privacy. Just because the word “public” is in public school does not mean that confidentiality isn’t taken seriously. Public schools are not going to release Sasha and Malia’s grades to the media, and the same steps that would be used at private school to ward off the paparazzi can be used at a public school too.
- Do it for the people of DC: Washington, DC is predominately African-American, and 90% of the vote went to Obama on election day. According to Mother Jones, “DC schools have such a bad rep that our own mayor, who has made education reform his signature issue, refuses to send his kids to one, so luring in the Obama girls would be an enormous coup.”
- Public school will help make the Obama girls life more normal: Obama stated he can’t go to the barber shop anymore; his barber meets him in an undisclosed location for a haircut. Life for the First Family is far from normal, but attending public school would give Sasha and Malia a chance to be friends with normal, average, regular children. Sure, they may be treated a little differently with Secret Service agents following them around, but at least they won’t be attending school with children only from elitist families that can afford tuition of $28,000 a year or more.
- Sasha and Malia will get a good education: When I worry about my children’s education, a former teacher and friend reminds me that family is the most important factor in a child’s education. Sasha and Malia could attend the worst school in America, and I believe they would still get a good education. Involved parents meet with teachers, participate in school committees, help their children with homework, enrich their children’s education, etc.
- Michelle Obama has stated she wants to improve the public school system in DC: What better way to improve a school system then to get involved in your own children’s education? I guarantee that whatever public school the Obamas choose, that school will rise to the occassion. Children that attend public schools in their communities have stronger ties to that community, and thus their families are more invested and work harder to improve the community too.
Perhaps it is not appropriate for us to debate this personal choice of the Obama family, but I believe it is a very important decision for public education. As a school teacher, I will feel disappointed if Sasha and Malia go to private school, but as a mother, I understand the need for families to make the best choice for their children. You only get one chance at childhood in this lifetime.
Image: barackobama.net
This decision is not only a very personal one, but in this particular case, one that not many in this country can begin to understand. This is America’s first black First Family, and as un-PC as that may sound, it’s the truth. These girls face safety issues that the normal student does not, so it’s unfair to say that if it’s safe enough for me kids, it’s safe enough for the First Kids. It’s naive to think that we know how safe these girls will be on a public or private campus.
I’m not knocking the public school system at all. I am a product of public schools, and I was fortunate to have awesome teachers that actually paid attention and pushed me onto a path that would not have been revealed to me otherwise. But I’m not the President(-Elect) or the First Lady, so I can’t really form an informed opinion about where the Obama girls should go to school because they have so many factors to include in their decision that don’t apply to me or my family.
I agree with you. My wife has been a 4th grade teacher in public schools for some time. The kids get a great education when they are under the tutelage of a teacher who is passionate about what they do and enjoy their work. Don’t forget, you can get bad teachers and education in private schools also!!
Byron McSween
Mountain Sled lover
Mocha Mama, I agree safety is a concern, but they will be a target no matter where they go. I didn’t include this in the post, but on my way to work I thought that if was the Obama family, I would seriously consider home school. That is one option I have not heard discussed. Not sure what that would do politically, but it would be the safest option.
My husband and I had this exact discussion after watching the 60 minutes interview last night. To me, the look on Michele Obama’s face said that she would do anything to put her kids in public school if they could be safe. My husband laughed and said, no way–too much security would be required. We both figured they would home school the kids. Then my husband said maybe the Obamas would bring a classroom to the White House. That would make sleepovers easier.
Jenn, you’ll have to excuse me for disagreeing with you, but I take some offense to the statement:
“Life for the First Family is far from normal, but attending public school would give Sasha and Malia a chance to be friends with normal, average, regular children.”
I would certainly disagree with the suggestion that you can’t have “normal” and “regular” children in private schools. But perhaps not average. I went to school with some of the most brilliant, motivated, creative, and inspiring peers.
I was fortunate to go to one of the best schools in the country for high school. It was a private school, and I’m not in any way ashamed, in fact, I’m proud and honored. I learned from passionate intellectuals, and was consistently challenged.
The main difference I see between going to my school, and the public high school is the network that I get for life. Graduates have a strong commitment to give back to the school, and make it possible for other students to get the same (and even better) opportunities. I have given back to my school fiscally, with my time, and with my love, and so have the majority of my peers.
The idea that students must be of a certain socio-economic level, race, or ethnicity is also untrue.
For families with incomes under 75,000 a year, my high school provides a completely free education. This is mainly possible because graduates are deeply tied to the place. For many of them, it was the best times of their life.
What I particularly love about my high school was the opportunity to cultivate friendships with people from all over the world, and more important were different than me. Had I stayed at the local high school, I would have been in a sea of white, where there is less than 5 percent minority, and a complete lack of religious diversity.
Further more, I would not have gotten the experiences I had, including the ability to develop and implement a sustainability plan with the school, learning critical skills that I have developed into my every day work.
I understand the need for good public schools. Many of my friends and family teach in the public education system, and I myself have worked in my own town to give back to the community through the process of creating and energy plan and working with teachers on environmental curriculum. Many of my friends who teach science in public schools are making their curriculum based on what they learned from our high school.
I hate to see Malia and Sasha being used as political pawns in this case. We certainly need to improve the system, and maybe this means for the kids to be in the public school system to kick start desperately needed action. Each child is different though.
Again, I don’t mean this to be a rant. And I certainly respect your work as a teacher! You are an incredibly well spoken person, and I would love you to teach my kids!
Sam, thank you for disagreeing so eloquently! I think that my statement was misleading. I did not truly mean to imply that children at private school are not normal. I guess it all depends on the private or public school. Truth be told, I attended a rather elitist public school, because it was in a rich neighborhood. My parents were teachers, and we could not keep up our friend’s new BMWs or Gucci purses. Other schools called my high school the “university”, because we had two gyms, indoor pool, etc. Every school is different; every kid is different.
I agree Malia and Sasha should not be political pawns, and I almost didn’t write this piece because of it. I have bought into the Obama dream of change, and I think it would be great if the kids were placed in public school. I’ve been thinking about it since I saw 60 Minutes, so I had to share my thoughts.
I feel strongly that children are not and should not become a political vehicle. The Obama family should make whatever decision they feel is the best one for their children. The girls are not in political office, nor do they get to choose this life. Basing the girls educational future on politics would be to do them a grave disservice. Family is ALWAYS first and I will be impressed if the Obama Family puts their girls needs before their political agenda.
“Sasha and Malia will get a good education: When I worry about my children’s education, a former teacher and friend reminds me that family is the most important factor in a child’s education. Sasha and Malia could attend the worst school in America, and I believe they would still get a good education. Involved parents meet with teachers, participate in school committees, help their children with homework, enrich their children’s education, etc.”
Jennifer, while I understand your viewpoint on many of the other things you mentioned in your post, I’m going to have to disagree with you on the above point. I have friends whose children are very bright who have enrolled in public school only to be told their child has some “disorder”. The parents are devastated to learn that their child now has a label and the child starts his or her formal schooling with the idea that there is something abnormal about them.
My very curious, strong-willed son, who excelled atypically at certain things as a preschooler would have been miserable being forced to conform to the teaching methods at school. He has no problem making friends, getting along with adults, people in positions of authority, etc. He just has ideas and expressions about the world and what he learns that don’t fit into the mainstream public school curriculum.
I think if one is to think progressively about education, it would be clear that if people are entitled to choose who they marry, what happens to their bodies, etc., then, parents should be entitled to choose the education that best suits their particular child be it public or private.
There are many things wrong with public school and private school today and many things wrong with rigid homeschooling, but there are also right things about all of those educational methods and the best parts should be given attention.
Tara,
The Kennedy’s did just this with Caroline’s kindergarten.
“Caroline Kennedy attended kindergarten, organized by her mom, with 10 other children in the White House Solarium.”
http://www.kansascity.com/703/story/880750-p2.html
First, let me say that I always enjoy reading this site, but I find myself disagreeing strenuously.
Parents, regardless of who they are, have an obligation to do what is right for their children and that that obligation rises above all other possible considerations.
So, when your #1 reason is “It sends a message that Obama believes in public education”, I frankly find that a bit offensive.
Children are not born to shoulder the burdens of their parents, or to be the tiny messengers for their parent’s (or anyone else’s) political ideas. They are human beings and deserve more consideration than that.
I am a product of public schools and have great respect for the public system. Still I take issue with the idea that a parent, *any* parent, should give their child to a system that may not be ideal because it looks good.