Obamas Join D.C.'s Private School Status Race: Margaret Carlson Commentary by Margaret Carlson
Nov. 13 (Bloomberg) -- First lady-to-be Michelle Obama may drive a Ford Escape hybrid and dress in J. Crew rather than the Valentino preferred by the self-defined down-home Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. But she is unlikely to burnish her populist credentials by choosing a Washington public school for the Obama girls, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7.
Unlike other elected officials embarrassed when the personal deviates from the public, the Obamas aren't even pretending to consider public schools, in spite of President-elect Barack Obama's praise in one of the debates of celebrated Washington school Chancellor Michelle Rhee. No matter where they stand on vouchers or charter schools, rarely does a member of Congress or a Cabinet official, Democrat or Republican, send their children to public school.
The last White House child to go to public school was Amy Carter and it wasn't exactly normal. She couldn't go outdoors for recess and even the shortest of the Secret Service men couldn't help being obvious.(snip)
My daughter is rooting for the Obamas to choose her alma mater. I'm more pragmatic. If Malia and Sasha go to Maret, all children will want to go to Maret and it will make it that much harder for my grandchildren to get in when the time comes. All politics is personal.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=a_ndtEHRElL8&refer=homeJust a little snark, but that how the swells live.