Obama Girls Look At Washington Private Schools

WASHINGTON — Malia and Sasha Obama got a tour of their new White House digs from Jenna and Barbara Bush on Tuesday and checked out potential schools, capping a busy few days looking into their new life in the nation's capital.

President George W. Bush's twin daughters showed their rooms to Sasha, 7, and Malia, 10, as they toured the residential areas of the White House with their mother at the invitation of first lady Laura Bush. The Obamas spent about an hour at the mansion, said Sally McDonough, a spokeswoman for Laura Bush.

Mrs. Obama's mother, Marian Robinson, was also with the group.

"The first lady graciously invited Mrs. Obama, her mother and the girls to visit what will be their new home," said Michelle Obama's spokeswoman, Katie McCormick Lelyveld. "Of course, Mrs. Obama greatly appreciated this invitation to provide an opportunity for the girls to feel at home and become comfortable in this transition process."

The visit was strictly private, with no media coverage or photos.

Earlier in the day, the family visited their top choices for schools "to make sure we find the right fit," Lelyveld said. She would not name the schools. "Their move to Washington is her top priority," she said.

A small motorcade was parked outside the Sidwell Friends school on Tuesday for about 40 minutes, and a similar motorcade was at the back entrance of Georgetown Day School on Monday. The Georgetown Day motorcade left after a group of people emerged, but Michelle Obama was not seen among them.

Ellis Turner, associate head of school at Sidwell Friends, would not say whether the Obamas had been there.

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"We don't provide information on admissions inquiries," he said.

When asked whether Michelle Obama had visited Georgetown Day, some parents and students said they did not know. Other students who appeared to be in middle school said that they were not allowed to answer reporters' questions.

The soon-to-be first lady visited both elite schools last week, without her daughters, when she also toured the White House with Laura Bush.

Georgetown Day, founded in 1945, was an early pioneer in integration and prides itself on its diversity. A report posted on the school's Web site says about 35 percent of its estimated 1,000 students are of color.

Sidwell Friends is a private, Quaker school that Chelsea Clinton attended.

The president-elect's family also has discussed public school options for the two girls, Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty and Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee said last week.

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Associated Press writers Kamala Lane and Jennifer Loven and photographer Manny Ceneta contributed to this report.

Comments

[Village]

We no longer have a public school system when the administrators are skimming 50% or more of the money off the top. Unless we kill all the administrators, the only way to get rid of them is to go to vouchers. Once the leeches are starved of money and eliminated, then we can start over. I hear in Utah they only have one administrator, but in my state, we have MORE administrators than teachers.

[MalloMel]

Sounds like you want to privatize the educational system in this country... no?

[Venee]

I get so tired of the bashing public schools take. All Public Schools are not the "Lean on Me" school and all Private Schools are not the be all end all of the best education you can receive. Here where I live the Newspaper names an All State Academic team every year of outgoing HighSchool Seniors. They name 7 students to the top team. Just to be considered , students must have a perfect GPA, have scored at or near perfect on the ACT and or SAT, must take a full rigourous class load as well as be involved in their community and excell at extra curriculars. Since the paper has done this, the team is dominated by GASP Public School students. I'm saying all this to make a point that I don't think has been made. No matter what school you go to cream will rise to the top, if you send your child to school prepared to learn. Poverty is a huge obstacle, but I think there in no easy answer . Dr Benjamin Carson, one of the greatest Doctors of today was born in great poverty with many siblings and an illiterate mother. His story is a potential model, but it is built on changing the mindset of the parent. I don't care what school you go to if your child is not ready to learn putting them in a garage won't make them a car.

[Venee]

(also want to add since my post is above the word limit for this to fit) The Obama's studied and worked hard to afford to send their children to private school and I fail to see the hypocrisy in that.

[rhondadavis28]

What is best for the girls will be first and formost decided my their parents.

No doubt about that.

Looking forward to the new first family in the white house!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[propitiousmoment]

1. Amy Carter went to a public school in DC and reportedly was miserable, could not go outside for recesses bc of security concerns, spent a lot of time by herself. Plus the extra security disrupted the rest of the school. How does that benefit anybody? Especially in this instance where the security risks are so high, because of all the wingnuts that want to harm the PE and his family.

2. There is no hypocrisy in sending your children to private school but not supporting school vouchers. Everyone in our democratic society is required to support public education, because an educated citizenry is vital to the success of a democratic system. The Obama's continue to pay property taxes that are used to support the public education system, while spending their hard-earned cash on private school tuition. There's no hypocrisy there. People who do not even have any children also pay taxes to support public education, because that is their DUTY as citizens of our democracy.

3. Furthermore, vouchers do more harm than good, by reducing the funds available to public schools while failing to adequately fund the cost of private schools. On a practical level, vouchers are a bad idea.

Now can we please move on to something more pleasant?

[j0n0]

In direct response to #3. If it were true how is it possible that DC has a successful voucher program and the Public schools in DC spend the 3rd most $$ ($13,500) per pupil in the US?

[day2night]

There aren't enough vouchers for all who want them, so I would not call it successful, and the private schools just accept the "best" public school kids leaving the less talented behind to struggle.

When private schools accept ALL kids, then maybe we can rethink vouchers, but not when they do not serve all kids. It would be nice if we could have an a-la-carte tax policy where we could pick and choose where our tax dollars spent, but it does not work that way because everyone would have their own priorities and collective priorities would go unmet.

Again, when you compare the public spending to private spending, you are comparing apples and oranges. If you are given kids who are exceptional, you could give them a bunch of books and they could learn a lot on there own. Public schools offer many things, but they just aren't taken advantage of.

It's the policies of private schools and the student population that makes them successful and not necessarily the staff or faculty who work at them. I sincerely doubt that they are any more educated or dedicated than those who work in public schools.

[propitiousmoment]

Go away. We have gotten your point, ad nauseum. Please just go away. We don't want to hear from you any more. The percentage of your posts to the total on this comment board is higher than I have seen from a single poster, anywhere. We are tired of hearing your obsession. We are not obsessed. We are not compelled to rant about our personal beliefs to every other person who makes their voice heard. Go away. Please just go away.

[day2night]

The kids should just be tutored in the White House. Then this would no longer be an issue.

[propitiousmoment]

There are other benefits from being schooled in a social setting as opposed to individually in private. And I'm sure if the O's chose that option, these wingnuts would be screaming about the costs of the tutor, and complaining that they think their kids are too good to associate even with other politicians' kids. They can't win, in the minds of some of these people. Luckily they do not let that stop them from making the best decision they can as the ONLY parents these girls have.

[MalloMel]

It just burns some people up that these two little bla.ck girls can go to a private school and theirs can't. I'm thinking of one person in particular. I know he said that his went to a private school, but earlier he said that they didn't. Anyway, these people are fuming. If Malia and Sasha were white, the temperature of this would be a lot lower.

[propitiousmoment]

Also, if the Obama's were Republican, there would be no issue.

[MalloMel]

You're right about that.

[j0n0]

LOL. You don't know what race I even am. And you caught nothing...I said that the poster in DC was able to take advantage of a program I cannot because I don't live in DC.

Of course it would not be a issue if it was a republican...they support a voucher program.

[MalloMel]

You do remind me of a guy on here that I referred to as Clarence. You sound (write) just like that guy. Now that you mention that about race... Hi, Clarence! How's it going? Remember me?

[gfs5541]

My opinion on this: Say the kids DO end up in public school. There would be pressure for the school board, principal, teachers and faculty to improve that school even if it"s one of the top D.C. schools, if not the entire D.C. system. School funding would set priority to that school. Moreover, there's not much difference between a private school and a public one that would make it a security issue for the secret service.

[concernvoter]

If Malia and Sasha IQ is high, they want prefer them to go to a privatel school.

[MalloMel]

I would expect their I.Q. to be pretty high, just like their parents.

[republifornian]

aaahh yes bo is just one of the common people with his old shoes and michelles cheap clothes, bwhahahaha but private schools nice long vacations cbs hawking a documentary before he even takes office, what a load bwhahahaha . I am glad I can afford private schools no liberal teachers to deal with.

[nateturnersrevenge]

AH yes, bwhahahaha, sort of like your mo.ronic comments. now go scurry back to faux news.

[stanschurman]

C'mon republifornian, you're really George Bush, aren't you? My first clue was your apparent inability to write a coherent sentence.......waut, maybe you're Sarah Palin.

[day2night]

Yep, those liberal teachers who have time to talk politics with kids who could care less about them, when they barely have enough time to teach the curriculum.

Why don't you actually go to a school and talk to some of the staff and faculty before you make judgments. Perhaps they are mostly liberals, but most are respectful enough to just teach their curricula and not try to indoctrinate kids into any political point-of-view.

However, if you want to spend extra to keep your kids away from the evil liberals, then spend away.

[MalloMel]

Why so angry?

[brodon]

Even though the Obama's are hypocrites for refusing school choice for others, I suppose in a way you can't blame them.

The DC school system, even with just under 17k per student, is a sewer. I've got an article I've downloaded that says one third of DC residents are illiterate.

I suppose I wouldn't want my children exposed to this quagmire if I didn't have to.

Thank goodness the Obamas are wealthy.

[AnAmericanWoman]

Make your money so you don't have to make snide remarks about others. YOU are the hypocrite here. HE made HIS - the old fashioned way - he EARNED it!

[MalloMel]

brodon, I agree with most of what you said, except that bit about the Obama's being hypocrits.

I would expect the Obama's to do nothing less that most other caring parents, and that is to give their children the best that they can afford. Just because they are ascending to the White House, does not mean that they should do anything less.

[nateturnersrevenge]

1st off, how exactly are the obamas refusing school choices for others? You statement makes no sense. If you have the means to pay the tuition and if your kids have the grades, they too can go to some high priced D.C. private school. And where do you get this idea that you have to be wealthy to go to a private school? I attended parochial schools for 12 years and my parents were by no means wealthy. We scrapped and scrounged like most lower middle class families in my neighborhood.

[day2night]

Public schools are allowed to fail because society needs a perpetual underclass to serve as low-wage workers, etc.

If we really wanted to improve public schools, we could, but the people who send their children to private schools really don't want those public school kids competing with their kids for the same types of colleges or jobs later in their kids' lives, now do they?

[MalloMel]

day2night,

I've always felt like that. It seems kind of strange to hear someone else actually say it.

[conniedogs]

For the love of God, please stop reporting on every move the Ob ama family makes, especially the girls. We have enough crazies trying to do harm to this family. Why do we need to know what school they're going to. We don't own the Obamas, yes we voted for Barack but we don't own him. This is not fair to the girls....they deserve to have privacy.

[tonewheel]

"...said Michelle Obama's spokeswoman, Katie McCormick Lelyveld."

Well, which is it? McCormick, or Lelyveld?

[propitiousmoment]

It's both. Duh.

[Pat-GA]

Let's be real...all of us who can afford private school, use private school. Otherwise, there would not be so many private schools.

Also, for the safety of these children, I hope the press stops covering them. After all, they are children; they must do what they're parents tell them to do. They are the responsibility of Barack and Michelle Obama.

Pat-GA

[MalloMel]

Agreed.

[jeffp26]

I feel so sorry for these beautiful girls.

Why do they have to go to school with a bunch of little rich kids with politically connected parents?

[dc2nm]

DC public schools aren't the greatest and I would feel sorry for the rest of the students at a public school. It would be a bit of a disruption for them with the increased security and rules that go along with it. At least the other schools already have more security. The girls will be a little more accepted by their peers at the private schools. At public schools they may be too much like a celebrity to be treated like normal kids.

[ZinDC]

Both schools that the Obamas are seriously considering are concerned with diversity--economic as well as racial and ethnic. Sidwell Friends has 40% "students of color" and raises and spends a huge amount of money every year for tuition grants so that children from families of modest means can go there. 25% of the student body receives financial aid. I'm not sure that Georgetown Day is able to be quite as generous, but I know that they provide tuition assistance so that children who are not wealthy can attend.

The girls go to a private school in Chicago, and I will hazard a guess that quite a few of their peers there come from wealthy and well-connected families. What is so terrible about that? Any conversation about the possibility that they would attend public school in DC is purely symbolic. There are a number of very good elementary schools, but none of the middle schools or high schools would be a safe or academically appropriate place for the President's children--and the older girl is already a middle schooler.

[DuPageDem]

For once I'd like to see a big-shot Washintong Democrat put their talk into action and send their kids to public school. Security is a red herring, since the same precautions will have to be implemented no matter where the kids attend. Every time a Dem abandons the public schools, they empower the vouchers crowd and paint themselves as eliteists. Public schools are the foundation our democracy & culture, and the fire under our melting pot. Obama went to public schools, didn't he? How'd that work out? Doesn't DC have any public magnet schools? Anyone can get a good education at any public school, as long as they apply themselves and their parents stay involved.

[tonewheel]

"Anyone can get a good education at any public school, as long as they apply themselves and their parents stay involved."

Clearly, you're not familiar with either Chicago or DC public schools.

[DuPageDem]

Clearly, you're not familiar with Chicago's. If you were, you'd know that the system is loaded with magnet schools for students who perform well. They are better than private schools. As for DC, as stated above, please enlighten me -- do they have magnet schools? If so, there's no reason for the Obama kids not to attend.

[dc2nm]

Absolutely not true. My sons went to a Baltimore City public school...a parent can't do much when a class of 30 is sharing 4 text books and teachers need to cut sheets of paper in quarters for tests. The teachers are more concerned about getting new jobs to focus on the kids. I had to move to Annapolis to get my sons in a better public school. But many parents can't afford to make the move.

The painful truth is that some public schools ARE unacceptable. Even with proper funding, they will take years to improve.

[DuPageDem]

With proper funding, the school you cited would have paper and textbooks. These kinds of bottom-of-the-barrel examples are used to excoriate all public schools and provide an excuse to dismantle the system. The reality is most public schools are pretty good, and most private schools are highly overrated.

[chrylbp]

Everyone needs to chill out and focus on your own child. This family is not only trying to focus on their children's education, but are primaryly focused on the safety of their babies. He will be our president but he still has a right to make a decision that is in the best interest of his family. Death threats against him and his family have grown exponentially, so although it would be a nice gesture to have the kids in public schools, Give these people a break, let the children leafn in a safer and more private enviorment and wish them well. I mean really, can't you see the 4 block radius to neighborhood public schools being overcome with security people, reporters, photogs, racists, extortionists, etc. Come on folks, Let these kids try to live a somewhat normal and safe life.