November 22nd, 2008
09:56 AM ET
12 years ago
Obama daughters to attend Sidwell Friends
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/11/21/art.obama.school.copy.jpg caption="The Obama girls on their way to school in Chicago"]
(CNN) - Obama spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter confirms to CNN the Obama daughters will attend Sidwell Friends school in Washington, DC.
"They looked at a lot of great schools but they felt Sidwell fit their best interests," spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter told CNN.
Chelsea Clinton also attended the school when her father was in the White House.
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The Obama daughters have always gone to a top notch private school (U of C Lab-where both parents worked) in Chicago as well, so it hopefully will be a smooth transition for them.
Why must people spew such venom and hatred towards a lovely family with beautiful daughters? What would your mothers say of you?!? Shame on you!!
PLEASE – walk a mile in the shoes of the Obamas!
President-elect Obama is soon going to be the most powerful person in America; naturally, he is going to send his daughters to a school renowned for its ability to protect children of politicians/diplomats, etc.
His daughters attended private schools in Chicago, so I am uncertain why folks are so vinidictive of the Obama's choice for the girls' school.
Please pray for the peace and secuity of our nation and the FIrst Family. Just like I did, while the Bushes were in the White House.
This from a diehard Dem!!
Let’s be REALISTIC…It should not matter your politics, but should matter that these are the President’s children and their SAFETY is paramount. This has nothing to do with support or non-support for public/private school/teachers and everything thing to do with being REALISTIC
Seriously, this seems like it should be the kind of thing not broadcast for all the world to know!
And, I don't care how pro-public schools one is, when you're a controversial president, your children's safety definitely takes precedence over your platform!
I'm a public school teacher and initially I was very disappointed in this decision. However, sending the girls to a public school would have been a huge burden for the school in many ways. They do not have the resources to handle that. I would not have been excited to have them at my school; learning would all but cease completely. It makes complete sense to send your kids to a school that can handle having major public figures there
We ALL know that if Obama had sent his kids to a public school, everybody would be talking about how he was just doing it as a political decision.
It IS encouraging that Obama selected a Quaker private school which, from what I know, values the contributions of all students, doesn't release scores, and doesn't believe in ranking students. This is the opposite of NCLB values. RIP NCLB, I hope.
The only reason this is blamed on liberals is because the republicans in recent years have been too old to have young kids. Correlation is not causation. Nixon sent his kid there...definitely not a liberal.
This is a safety issue. I would have preferred to send my daughter to public school but it was not an option and I'm not even rich.
How can anyone object to them sending their children to private school. We all know that will be the safest place for them consideirng all the threats coming their way and I know that will continue for the next 4 years. These 2 girls have always gone to private school, so I don't have a problem with them continuing that trend.
He had no choice but to send his kids to a private school and a school that is known to have been used by a President's daughter. Which means the Secret Service is aware of how the school operates. And because of all of the threats on the family. So a public school would not work.
George,
What happened is potatoheads like you....
It's what he has to do for the safety of his beloved daughters.....
You do the best you can for your kids. Or should. Anyone that has a problem with this doesn't have kids, doesn't have this kind of choice or is not the parent they think they are.
Seriously, does anyone expect the POTUS children to attend public school? Not because private schools are better. It just makes sense. What a distraction that would be for the other children when they see the Secret Service following them everywhere. Celebrity children go to private schools mostly to keep the paparazzi away. What about Malia and Sasha attending a much smaller private school for safety reasons?
We sure do have a lot of opinions without knowing why a decision was made. Of course, as Americans we think we know the answers without all the details. What a surprise.....
A mother and a father who are Harvard trained attorneys are SUPPOSE to put their kids in private schools.
How is this hypocrisy: his kids go to a private school now. Even with school vouchers there are schools that the vouchers wouldn't cover the cost.
I have no issue with vouchers, but one of the problems I see is transportation. Sees like the near destitute would be left at schools with almost no funding. These are issues that need to be worked out. Also if you're at a bad rural school how far would all the families have to travel to get a better education?
Would anyone object if I, as a regular joe, scraped up enough money and happen to know a couple of people so that my kids could attend a nice private school? If not, then why should anything else matter? Perhaps Obama just wants the best for his kids, which is not any different from any other parent.
If I had the money and put my kids in a run down public school system... THAT would be all about politics. But, if I had the mney and gave my kids the BEST education I could find for them... that is called being a great dad!!
Just because Obama is all about fixing the public school system does not now mean that he has to stick his kids in the same broken public school system. Let him fix the public school system before you all start screaming hypocrisy.
And there is a huge difference between taking public school money and applying it to private education vs being able to afford private school education and NOT taking money away from public schools to get it.
uh George, one can support public teachers and attempt to fix a broken public school system without it being at the expense of their childs' safety, education and well-being. I'm a prime example and I am no liberal, nor am I rich but to me my child's education is more important.
So get real people.
Anyone who knocks Barack Obama for sending his daughters to a private school is really just looking for the tiniest thing to get upset over.
Stop nitpicking.
If you don't like his policies, fine. If you don't like the decisions he makes, fine. Discuss that.
You lose credibility when you complain about something so menial.
Give the guy a break! Would anyone out there send there kids to public school in DC?
Geoge and Kathleen, you are absolutely correct. The LIBERALS love the public school for everyone else, BUT NOT FOR THEM!!!! The public school teachers and their unions, are all for themselves and NOT for the children. It makes me sick.
Good choice!! It was made in the best interest of the girls and that is the ONLY factor that should matter. Politics aside it shows that the Obamas take education to be a priority and wwish for thier kids to have the best!!!
Cannot begrudge them that!!!
right choice for his daughters. This is about safety and security for them (in addition to best education). It is too difficult to protect them at a public school. Too much access to the general public. It's hard enough for them to be thrown into this political spotlight. They need a smaller, more stable environment where they can also be protected from the general public. Don't blame them. They didn't run for office, their father did.
Excellent choice. I plan on sending my son there as well. You know is "typical liberals" VALUE education!
The only choice....although a lot of people here think that this is an elitist move, its the only choice for safety for the girls....a public school would not only be dangerous (security wise) but a secret service presence is more likely to cause intrusion and disruption for a lot of the student body.
This is a PARENTAL decision not a POLITICAL one. So all of you who are treating it as such need to grow up.
This choice is not in any way a snub to the public schools. Let's be serious here, this decision was made for a variety of reasons the most important of which was probably security. Private schools can offer security and privacy that public schools (in D.C. at least) just can't. The Obama kids should be as safe as possible at all times and this was the best way to do it. Put yourself in Barack and Michelle's shoes, they're parents confronting a totally new situation with all these new elements in their lives. Their children's security should be something they shouldn't have to worry about. Plus, Chelsea Clinton went there I think and she's doing great!