Why do Democrats hate D.C. school kids?
As I noted last night, the House omni-pork bill includes a provision to strangle D.C. public school choice.
President Obama, you chose the D.C. school you thought best for your daughters. Why won’t you let other D.C. parents do the same?
Andrew Coulson blasts the Democrats behind the measure:
SINCE 2004, a federally funded private-school voucher program has of fered a lifeline to a few thousand inner-city kids in Washington, DC. Its initial five-year authorization is up for congressional renewal this week – and the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, chaired by Democrats David Obey and Daniel Inouye, respectively, are trying to ever-so-subtly unravel it.
The bill on the table fails to reauthorize the program for another five-year term, as would be usual. Instead, it only funds the program for another year. Worse, it would grant a new veto power over the program to the DC City Council – so that the program could be killed down the line by either Congress or the City Council.
It’s clear that congressional Democrats want this program dead, but are hoping someone else will pull the plug so that they can’t be blamed for kicking 1,900 kids out of independent and parochial schools they’ve come to depend on. Chairman Obey (D-Wis.) has reportedly urged DC Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee to prepare for the return of voucher students to DCPS.
Think of it as Myanmar on the Potomac: When Myanmar’s ruling junta blocked desperately needed aid from reaching its cyclone-ravaged people last May, the world was outraged. How could a nation’s leaders do that and still live with themselves? We might well ask our Democratic leaders in Washington the same question – for the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program provides a desperately needed escape from the city’s disastrous public schools.
See what others have said
Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.
Trackbacks
- The Obama Road to Socialism and the Enslavement of the Poor « Jim Blazsik
- Jeremiah Films
- Congress’ sneaky slap at DC’S kids | Fire Andrea Mitchell!
- The Simple Answer: Grade School Students Aren’t A Voting Group « Tai-Chi Policy
- Obama: Making Education EQUALLY Bad for All- Update « Patriot Burr
- Michelle Malkin » Obama education secretary: Gee, maybe banning school choice for D.C. poor kids is a bad idea
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Categories: Education
Doug Ross @ Journal
» Robert Gibbs: Even if I have to personally break into the Smithsonian with a blowtorch and burn the Constitution, we will pass health care this week
Doug Ross @ Journal
» Chris van Hollen's memo to Democrats describes how the U.S. Constitution will be shredded this week; the "Slaughter Rule" is a goDoug Ross @ Journal
» Your Daily Dose of Deification Iconography, Courtesy of Your Friends at The New York TimesRiehl World View
» SIck Health Care Reform and The Death Of The DemocratsAmSpecBlog
» The Health Care "Shell" Game BeginsRiehl World View
» Update: Only A Procedural Step: A Shell Bill? Public Option Back?? Reconciliation Bill Online?Mudville Gazette
» EOD on standby
because they don’t want kids to actually learn anything and become independent.
uneducated easily led people are democrat voters..
Because they aren’t votes for them.
And it continues, the libtard agenda is in full assualt mode.
Teacher’s Unions are more important than the kids.
Why would they care about a few ghetto rats living in the gutters. There is a shrimp farm in Arazonia to fund!!!
Correct…nor a funding source for them.
BINGO!!
What’s the data on the programs outcomes look like?
Whatever they want it to.
IF they actually got to learn something, it might catch on, and stupidity and unproductivity might slowly slip away from the voting rolls.
And they said Bush didn’t like black people! George ain’t got nothin’ on Barry!
If the D.C. public schools are good enough for Barry and Michelle’s kids, they’re good enough for everyone else. Oh, wait….
That doubled the value of my Ocean Front Property in Arazonia, Arabzonia, Mexico North, whatever. I am investing the profits in California Municipal bonds.
—
ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND FIREARMS
Should be a convenience store
NOT a Government Agency
From the Dep. Of Ed Evaluation of the progarm.
# No evidence of a statistically significant difference in test scores between students who were offered an OSP scholarship and students who were not offered a scholarship.
# The program had a consistently positive impact on parent satisfaction and their perceptions of school safety.
# Students who were offered OSP scholarships did not report being more satisfied
They don’t hate them. They love them. They love to keep them poor and uneducated and voting for the democrat agenda. They love to trot out the lucky few who make it out of the sinkhole of poverty and show them off. They love to fund programs studying the education problems in bad neighborhoods and community organizing them so that people know how to go to the government for help. They love their little brown brothers and their votes and they want them to stay the same always.
Having once worked for a teachers’ union (I will only mention the initials — NEA), I can “vouch” for that statement. The unions’ A-#1 threat is vouchers, and they know this.
Thus, their A-#1 priority is killing vouchers everywhere, even if it means killing a good education “for the children.” Even the NEA’s Republican Caucus (yes, there actually is one) opposed vouchers because of a thinly veiled concern over “poor” kids.
And this surprises whom?
..note that the referenced study only looks at first year impacts. The program was running for 5 additional years.
Probably ought to look at year 2-5 too, as most programs tend to improve.
I don’t know about the merits of the school voucher program, but there is another issue here — Republican meddling in the local government of the District. The Republican Congress (back when there was one) used to pass laws mandating conservative policies on the District against the wishes of the District residents. They renamed the airport after a President most people in the District loathed. They interfered in the operation of public schools in the District. Democrats now want to return local government to the locals.
Not for nothing, but Reagan National is in Virginia. Not the District.
This is of course, the same district that reelected a mayor caught smoking crack, and then elected him to city council after his term was over.
Easy Answer! If parents could actually choose what school their children go to the Dimocrats lose the opportunity to properly socialize those children and indoctrinate them to be good dimocrats when they grow up.
What a blatant and egregious use of power. Renaming an airport, what’s next, a post office?
Reagan should have killed the NEA when he had the chance.
It doesn’t look like the program did much. If that’s the case then it should be stopped and $56 million shouldn’t be spent.
When all is said and done, there is still no substitute for good parenting.
So let me get this straight…
Taxpayer bailouts for every irresponsible institution and citizen with a half-assed sob story.
But NO tax dollars so parents who are impoverished can send their kids to decent schools.
Gee, if it weren’t for the Democrats unfettered love for abortion, they almost had me fooled that they actually cared about kids. Har.
Were I a Republican considering a run in 2010 or 2012, I’d go to every single minority neighborhood in the DC area and tell them in no uncertain terms that the Democrats killed school choice and denied their kids the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty.
As others have said, Democrats are against school choice because it might expose kids to forms of education that aren’t liberal indoctrination posing as “school”…can’t have them not toeing the liberal line, can we?
I think lgm’s point was that airports are like a gateway drug. It starts there and then before you know it, it’s post offices, schools, and highways.
We must work diligently to eradicate this scourge before we all live on Barack Obama Boulevard.
Africans must be kept compliant and on the Democrat plantations.
Someone has to meddle, the plantation morons can’t govern their own families much less a city.
So? Further proof the people in DC are out of touch…Reagan was, and remains, very popular.
I’m not a proponent of cloning, but if we could recreate Ronald Reagan, I say go for it.
Not to be too sarcastic (awww…who am I kidding) but
1) if you are planning on running for in 2010, don’t waste your time: DC doesn’t have a Representative.
2)if you are running for President in 2012 all that would do is maybe Obama wins by 85% rather than 92%.
The Republican Party is dead to District voters. I do not think it can be resuscitated.
How’s that DC handgun ban working out?
Moscow on the Potomac.
All for me, none for thee.
Yeah, it was hypothetical. I won’t be 35 in 2012. 2020, on the other hand…
EQ for Prez in ‘20!
Democratic Socialists often speak of doing things “for the children”, but most of the policies they promote do harm, not good to children.
Other examples can be found in their policies which are contrary to the following:
EQ, I rather vote for you not knowing much about you, than for 95% of those in DC. Actually, I would rather vote for a bent trash can – it won’t do much, but at least it won’t do anything wrong.
It is not possible to pretend that a president that only went to ‘favored’ schools would ever want his children to be intermingled with the more ‘common’ ones.
Remember, Obama is a do as I say, not as I do president.
Just this morning Obama refered to this as his ‘first term’.
How ignorantly arrogant can he be?
RedPill,
If this is true, why do divorce rates tend to be higher in Red States and lowest in places like Massachusetts and DC?
Because they don’t marry to begin with, would be my guess.
To be fair to the Obamas, there were also security concerns for their children. Sidwell Friends is better set up to manage those legitimate requirements.
——————-
I draw your attention to Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution which says that Congress is responsible for running the federal district. In keeping with that, the law that gives DC (limited) home rule allows for Congressional oversight/vetoes. And both parties have taken full advantage of that power when it suits them. Giving the DC Council veto power over a specific program is a (questionable) devolution of legitimate power.
Side note: good political cover for liberal Congressmen as they can then say that DC did it themselves, even though everyone knows that the ending of the program is what Congressional libs want.
Chap – it’s because the blue staters don’t get married in the first place.
Just because it’s best, doesn’t mean it’s easy. With societal pressures and a seeming lack of real support for marriages, it is perhaps surprising that so many marriages stay as long as they do. And taylork’s response (#35): “Because they don’t marry to begin with, would be my guess.” is also pretty good.
This seems a viable explanation.
chapoutier said (#17):
True enough. But (1) it is the airport for the District, and (2) The northern Virginians also didn’t like the name change.
There’s a funny incident about the name change. The District transit system — the Metro — refused to change the sign at the airport stop. Long after Congress officially changed it to “Reagan National Airport”, the Metro stop was called “National Airport”. The Republican Congress became so angry, they threatened to cut off funding for the Metro if they didn’t change the sign at the airport stop. Yes, the Constitution gives Congress the right to meddle in District affairs. That isn’t the only legal thing that’s obnoxious.
I would call that an ironic incident…
“Oh boy, is this fun!”
Imagine having a front seat on this ride. Watching America unravel as special interests pull it apart. And to watch elected officials – the peoples’ representatives - facilitate it is a joy not to be matched.
This is how a once-decent system of two parties has mutated into a nightmare of self-interests and unholy alliances. Common sense be damned…see you guys after the crash.
Because Barry carefully choose the school because of its exclusivity. After all, he did not let just any old terrorist watch his kids back in Chicago.
Whoo hoo! I have one vote.
I believe in smaller government, strong military, school choice, lower taxes, free market principles, defending life and traditional marriage, the Constitution (as it was written, not “reinterpreted”), personal responsibility, and rewarding hard work. I think
global warming– sorry, global climate change – is BS designed to give eco-nuts control over our personal lives. I oppose socialized healthcare.I believe the American government, in its purest form, is the best form of government on the planet. I don’t tolerate terrorism and I don’t tolerate nations that agregiously abuse human rights. I also think the UN has outlived its usefulness and would withdraw the US immediately.
Man, I could run for office, couldn’t I?
On February 26th, 2009 at 11:02 am, lgm said: (#40)
What else about our Constitution, as amended, do you think is obnoxious?
EQ,
You have a chance with people like me…
I would rather vote for a steaming pile of cow dung that vote for an incumbent.
Nothing personal, mind you. You are just head and shoulders above the competition. Change that to: light years ahead of the competition as cow dung is head and shoulders above most incumbents.
I would rather vote for a steaming pile of cow dung
thatthan vote for an incumbentoops!
And there’s my slogan!
The transit system as entity as opposed to some petty bureaucrat who worked for the transit system?
No child left behind.
Except for you.
And you.
And you, too.
EQ, you have my vote! I would also add a plank in your above platform–allow each local/state educational organization to split from NEA. The joining of and required membership in all three went down in 1967-1968–prior to that most teachers chose to join the local and ignored the state and national–please, Please, PLEASE! Secret ballots, of course.
EQ,
It’s settled then…
I will support your “Better Than the Incumbent, Better Than Cow Dung Party” candidacy.
Please inform us when you have established your campaign and are able to take legal donations. My $$ are with you.
Wow! The little spring in the step has returned…(perhaps what Chris Matthews should have said instead of the eerie “tingling” remark – except he accurately describing his feelings).
Do NOT forget this:
It explains EXACTLY what the socialists believe.
Two reasons.
First, that might mean Obamas girls will come in contact with the commoners.
More importantly though, the Democrat party is dependent on a huge supply of idiot voters to stay in power.
Haven’t you heard, as of 2008, you no longer have to meet the Constitutional requirements.
EQ 20012
Which means that lgm will strongly support governors that refuse to accept stimulus funding, right?
It wasn’t just about pettiness. It was also the fact that changing all the signage was going to cost Metro millions that they did not have.
Kevin K. said (#45):
Olberman, Hannity, Limbaugh (answering the question you would have asked if you had read my post correctly).
What that site failed to mention was that while there was no appreciable score improvement, they managed to achieve academic parity for about one quarter of the cost of public education. Which is the better deal, a product that does X or a product that also does X for a quarter of the cost?
Wha?
lgm said, specifically:
Seems to me that Kevin K. read your post correctly. What does Olberman, Hannity, and Limbaugh have to do with any of it?
Are your talking points corrupted?
Actually I’m against vouchers. I’m against “the public” paying anything to educate a child.
If a local community (town, section of town” wants to form a school…fantastic. But if they don’t, why is it my responsibility?
I’m pretty sure “the market” (property values for one), would ensure good schools.
Public education is a failure.
Public financing of education is a failure.
Vouchers are NOT the answer.
You were doing ok till you put in “as amended”. A couple of the amendments are bad for USA. (Off the top since we recently “discussed” such in a MM thread, giving direct voting to the people for Senators is problematic)
Because when you’re a token minority you still have to make sure the real minoritys stay down.
Leonna Helmsley anyone?
Of course Daniel Inouye is against this voucher program! This kind of education spending threatens to compete with his earmarks for education programs at the Polynesian Voyaging Society.
I honestly don’t see how vouchers are the total solutions. The issue seems to be that awful parents raise bad children, who have a negative impact on the rest of the children.
Vouchers seems to work now beacuse there is some self-selection bias inherent in using the voucher. Good parents want their kids to go to good schools; hence, the main requirement in a successful education (good, supportive parenting) already exists.
Taking kids who are under-performing away from their old environment will only work if that environment doesn’t follow them. If all the kids get vouchers, then the bad kids with the bad parents will be at the charter schools instead, dragging it down as well.
or am I missing something?
Speaking as a parent who sends her kids to parochial school, the kids whose behavior disrupts the learning environment are soon weeded out. As I understand it the public schools don’t have that luxury.
It’s not. The rates are calculated as divorces per married people, not per the entire population.
Oh, they don’t hate DC school kids at all. They just love unions more and nothing makes the NEA happier than forcing your kids to be taught by them.
You have my vote EQ.
Thanks, Salt. (#60)
The main thing that I was trying to do was overcome the allowing of slavery in the Constitution itself, and the 3/5 of a person for the purpose of apportioning representation in the House of Representatives provision. (I’ve had discussions in the office about that one.) Plus the Bill of Rights, of course. I had forgotten the 17th when I typed my comment.