Barack Obama & the DC School Voucher Program

"Barack Obama & the DC School Voucher Program: The president says he wants to do 'what's best for kids.' So why won't he save a proven program that helps low-income students?"

Mercedes Campbell is one of the 1,700 students in the Washington, D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, a school-voucher program authorized by Congress in 2004. The program gives students up to $7,500 to attend whatever school their parents choose. For kids like Mercedes, who now attends Georgetown Visitation Prep, the DC voucher program is a way out of one of the worst school districts in the country.

"It's different, now that I go to Visitation," says Mercedes. "I approach things differently. It's like a whole new world, basically."

The program is wildly popular with parents and children—there are four applicants for every available slot—and a recent Department of Education study found that participants do significantly better than their public school peers. Indeed, after three years in private schools, students who entered the program at its inception were 19 months ahead in reading of applicants unlucky enough to still be trapped in D.C.'s public schools.

Yet working with congressional Democrats and despite his pledge to put politics and ideology aside in education, the Obama administration has effectively killed the program through a backdoor legislative move. "[Education] Secretary [Arne] Duncan will use only one test in what ideas to support with your precious tax dollars," says the president. "It's not whether it's liberal or conservative, but whether it works."

That sort of doublespeak has left many Obama supporters not just puzzled but outraged. Certainly, Mercedes is. "Out of everything else they can shut down or everything else they can advocate for, they want to take this one thing away?" Adds her mother, Ingrid, "We voted for you, we walked, we went to the parade, we stood freezing. Why?...Can you get this tape over to Obama and have him answer our questions? Why, sir, why?"

That's the question that will be asked on Wednesday, May 6, from 1P.M. to 2P.M., at a D.C. rally to reauthorize the voucher program. For more details, go here.

"Barack Obama and the DC School Voucher Program" is approximately 5.30 minutes long and was produced by Dan Hayes and Nick Gillespie.

For iPod and HD versions, related links and materials, and more videos, go to http://reason.tv/video/show/777.html

• Category

  News & Politics

[StoogeWatcher]

Fascist Democrats want to keep kids stupid. How ironic that the same Democrats who take money from teachers unions and brag about how great public schools are sending THEIR kids to private schools.

[BlackRepublican2010]

Republicans believe that every American parent reguardless of race, black, white, latino & asian-should have the same option to pull their kids out of the same failing public schools that President Obama has deemed unfit for his own children. That's the real public option! Vote Republican!

[MrEniena]

Both Republicans and Democrats have failed. All you're suggesting is to keep electing a broken and outdated party to office over and over again and expecting things to get better. That's the definition of madness, not change.

[RustyIronloins]

like like like like

[1luvaero]

I feel like the bigger problem is that you shouldn't have kids if you can't give them the best life possible. I feel like children is something you (plan ) for not( have) then expect everyone else to pick up the pieces.

[1luvaero]

IKR

[Aaron Payne]

The ladies ask the question Why? There may be multiple answers to that question, but the best I can think of only needs 3 words: bait-and-switch.

[somercet1]

Obama answer questions??? BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Journolist says "no."

[normaleitalia]

Everyone with school aged kids should see this video. My son went to a private school for the first time last year. He went from a C and D student to an A and B student. He is now 9th grade and writing papers that are college level. He is around kids that have a desire to do well in school instead of get by or drop out.

[ChachiTelevision1979]

I thought that part was funny.