Should A U.s. President Be Obligated

[rhetoricfemme]

This just popped into my mind. Private school for religious purposes aside, I kind of feel like the president has a duty to the rest of the country to put faith into the public school system. If he can't do that, then he needs to do something about it.

[Hilde]

1. Don't they?
2. Celeb status problems mayhaps?

[aalpha1989]

I'm giving a null vote because I do care what they do, but I don't think they should be obligated to go to a public school.

[Luigi]

And the security necessary for the presidential children would pretty thoroughly disrupt all the other students' 'educations, too.

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

[quote name='aalpha1989' date='10 April 2010 - 11:40 PM' timestamp='1270960830' post='2090805']
I'm giving a null vote because I do care what they do, but I don't think they should be obligated to go to a public school.
[/quote]

I think there are practical security reasons for the President not sending his children to public school. Since a public school is funded by the state, I suspect it has more requirements to allow access to the school by public, e.g., the press etc. (BTW--I'm guessing about this.) I would expect a private school to have the right to refuse admittance to the premises to anyone it chooses.

However, my guess is that one of the main reasons that President Obama and his wife decided to send their children to the Sidwell Friends School was for the very practical reason that this was the same school that Chelsea Clinton attended, so the school was already used to dealing with the Secret Service and its security measures. (I could be wrong about this--I've never read anything that explained how the Obama family chose where to send their girls to school.) Also, I think it is a well-respected school educationally. I wouldn't be surprised if the children of other politicians attend this school, so the Obama girls would not be the only students with parents in the public spotlight.

In Chicago, the girls also attended a private school, the University of Chicago Lab School, which is very near their home in Chicago, and is one of the best private schools in Chicago.

The two daughters of President Bush were already in college when their father became President, so the issue didn't come up.

Edited April 11, 2010 by IgnatiusofLoyola

[Ed Normile]

[quote name='Luigi' date='10 April 2010 - 11:49 PM' timestamp='1270961384' post='2090810']
And the security necessary for the presidential children would pretty thoroughly disrupt all the other students' 'educations, too.
[/quote]

Luigi, you hit the nail on the head, the secret service agents following the kids around would be a distraction, and the potential risks involved to other children and their families from any who would want to harm them far outweighs any other considerations. Presidents make a lot of enemies, but foreign and domestic, and the possible recriminations would make it insane for them to even consider allowing their children to attend a public school.

ed

[rhetoricfemme]

[quote name='IgnatiusofLoyola' date='11 April 2010 - 01:07 AM' timestamp='1270962422' post='2090814']
I think there are practical security reasons for the President not sending his children to public school. Since a public school is funded by the state, I suspect it has more requirements to allow access to the school by public, e.g., the press etc. (BTW--I'm guessing about this.) I would expect a private school to have the right to refuse admittance to the premises to anyone it chooses.
[/quote]
Those are all good points. As for whether or not public schools have control over who visits their campuses, I think they do. At least mine did. The year after I graduated they really did it up with the security. The parking lot had cameras everywhere, every entrance into the school itself. All the students were assigned their parking spots and weren't allowed to park elsewhere, and no one--not parents or former students or anyone else--could come into the school without signing a form and wearing a visitor pass. The school's office was poised right at the front of the building and has glass walls, so they'd notice anyone. I'm not sure if they kept all the other doors locked from the outside, but I wouldn't have been surprised.

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

[quote name='rhetoricfemme' date='11 April 2010 - 12:40 AM' timestamp='1270964459' post='2090822']
Those are all good points. As for whether or not public schools have control over who visits their campuses, I think they do. At least mine did. The year after I graduated they really did it up with the security. The parking lot had cameras everywhere, every entrance into the school itself. All the students were assigned their parking spots and weren't allowed to park elsewhere, and no one--not parents or former students or anyone else--could come into the school without signing a form and wearing a visitor pass. The school's office was poised right at the front of the building and has glass walls, so they'd notice anyone. I'm not sure if they kept all the other doors locked from the outside, but I wouldn't have been surprised.
[/quote]

You're right, security measures in public schools have greatly increased in the past few years--I hadn't thought about that. And, for a public school to add the security measures of the President's children would be a huge disruption.

So, I'll go back to my guess that the President and his wife decided to send their daughters to Sidwell Friends because the school already had dealt with the security for the child of a President, not to mention that it's considered a good school. I imagine that the girls can keep a lower profile at a smaller private school, especially one that probably has other politicians' children as students.

[KnightofChrist]

Obama and his family should be Obligated to have the health care he passed. But not obligated to go to public school.

[Winchester]

I don't think there should be public schools at all.

[Saint Therese]

[quote name='IgnatiusofLoyola' date='11 April 2010 - 01:07 AM' timestamp='1270962422' post='2090814']

However, my guess is that one of the main reasons that President Obama and his wife decided to send their children to the Sidwell Friends School was for the very practical reason that this was the same school that Chelsea Clinton attended, so the school was already used to dealing with the Secret Service and its security measures. (
[/quote]

The main reason he'd send his kids to Sidwell is that it is an [i]extremely[/i] liberal school. Must have the children properly indoctrinated, you know.


[quote name='Ed Normile' date='11 April 2010 - 01:38 AM' timestamp='1270964338' post='2090820']
Presidents make a lot of enemies, but foreign and domestic, and the possible recriminations would make it insane for them to even consider allowing their children to attend a public school.

ed
[/quote]
I agree.

[quote name='Winchester' date='11 April 2010 - 02:47 PM' timestamp='1271011644' post='2091013']
I don't think there should be public schools at all.
[/quote]

Yes. And a more appropriate term is "government school".

[toledo_jesus]

People should be free to determine what is best for their family. Including POTUS.

[God Conquers]

There is no "no" option on this poll! It's a trick!

Why shouldn't the President and his or her family have the same freedoms as everyone else?

[homeschoolmom]

Honestly, I don't think ANYONE should have to go to public schools, particularly DC public schools... so I would, philosophically say, "no." BUT, since most presidents DO feel that people should have no choice but to go to public schools, including DC public schools, I would say THEY should have to, too. (But I didn't vote, since this was not an option.)

[Resurrexi]

If I ever became a powerful government leader, I would hire the most learned men in the land as private tutors for my children.