Did Obama learn anything at the Decatur pre-k program or was it a just one long photo op?
Did Obama learn anything from his visit today to a Decatur pre-k? A pre-k teacher says he did. (Johnny Crawford/AJC)
The crowds have left the Decatur Recreation Center, and the camera crews are dismantling their equipment. The President is en route to Dobbins.
So, what was today about? Was it a photo op with which to promote the President’s new pre-k proposal?
Yes, but did Obama learn anything useful?
After the speech, I chatted with the Decatur pre-k teacher who was with Obama today at the College Heights Early Learning Center. Mary McMahon also introduced Obama at the Decatur Recreation Center.
A pre-k intervention teacher, McMahon is College Heights’ Teacher of the Year and spent time with President Obama in the pre-k classroom of teacher Lauren Parks.
Was this all for show, I asked her, or did the President learn something new?
McMahon felt that Obama learned something from the inclusive model that Decatur uses in its pre-k. She said that Decatur is unique in that its program has a mix of family incomes, and it includes children with special needs in its classes.
She also felt the President Obama realized that an effective pre-k classroom has to offer lots of hands-on activities for children rather than worksheets and that requires adequate staffing.
“He did see that you need bodies. You can’t just throw 20 kids in a classroom,” said McMahon.
Pre-k programs must maintain reasonable teacher-pupil ratios to conduct the hands-on activities that are critical to early learning, she said.
Decatur pre-k classes were out this week as the system is on winter break. But the lure of meeting the President was powerful; one parent flew back early from Disney World so her child could attend the special day of classes. Out of 20 students in the class that Obama visited, 16 showed up today, said McMahon.
(Please note that the Head Start program that operates out of College Heights was open this week. it was the pre-k part of the building that was closed for Decatur City Schools winter break.)
McMahon said all the 3- and 4-year-olds at College Heights saw the President as he joined them for community circle time where they sang him a song. And all of the College Heights staff also saw him.
Parents, who had to go through metal detectors today to drop off their children this morning, could not hang around to see the President.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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69 comments Add your comment
bootney farnsworth
February 14th, 2013
3:39 pm
this a trick question?
photo op, of course.
me
February 14th, 2013
3:47 pm
Really??? Photo Op and big waste of taxpayer dollars. This is what you call news?
Clutch Cargo
February 14th, 2013
3:53 pm
One long photo op.
DekalbParent
February 14th, 2013
3:58 pm
Parents couldn’t stay? Who were the people in the background cheering? How much did they pay to get in?
chillywilly
February 14th, 2013
3:58 pm
Maureen, do you have a problem with addressing our president as “President Obama”? He deserves our respect whether you like him or not.
Beverly Fraud
February 14th, 2013
4:16 pm
Seems he might have learned that, no matter what his administration sends down the pike that’s damaging to teachers and children (read: RTTP, politically propping up Beverly Hall) it will all be forgiven if teachers are given lip service (read: allowed to be used as political props) to being (pick the trite word of choice) “valued,” “respected,” “dedicated,” etc.
Of course he probably already knew that going in…
Centristc
February 14th, 2013
4:24 pm
As if President Obama initiates and molds the legislation for such a massive federal program. He only lobbies for something and either signs or vetoes what lands on his desk.
It was certainly just a carefully planned and staged photo op – not a “teaching moment”. We have already learned that his administration is about bigger government, and more federal programs. If folks like that, it may have helped him with his base.
Centrist
February 14th, 2013
4:27 pm
As if President Obama initiates and molds the legislation for such a massive federal program. He only lobbies for something and either signs or vetoes what lands on his desk.
It was certainly just a carefully planned and staged photo op – not a “teaching moment”. We have already learned that his administration is about bigger government, and more federal programs. If folks like that, it may have helped him with his base.
(2nd attempt to post – either blocked or being moderated.)
Jack ®
February 14th, 2013
4:38 pm
It was a photo op. Every appearance that Obama makes is a photo op. His visiting the school will have absolutely no effect on the problems that dog our schools.
Decaturite
February 14th, 2013
4:39 pm
@dekalbparent…most of those standing behind President Obama while he spoke at the Decatur Recreation Center were teachers in the City Schools of Decatur.
bootney farnsworth
February 14th, 2013
4:43 pm
is there anything he does that isn’t a photo op?
Citizen
February 14th, 2013
4:47 pm
The folks watching were all city schools of Decatur teachers.
Claudia Stucke
February 14th, 2013
4:50 pm
“He did see that you need bodies. You can’t just throw 20 kids in a classroom,” said McMahon. If President Obama learned nothing more, but came away convinced of this one fact (and positive action results from it), I’d say the trip was worth it.
I do take issue with the statement that Decatur is “unique” in its blended classrooms of students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds and learning challenges/abilities. It may be unique in its small student-teacher ratio, which is critical when working a diverse group.
President Obama made reference to this diversity, as opposed to the old system of tracking, “And what that means is, is that all the kids are being leveled up, and you’re not seeing some of that same stratification that you see that eventually leads to these massive achievement gaps.” The idea of “leveling up” is a popular one in educational research; there are plenty of studies that show that under-performing students benefit from being in the classroom with higher-performing students. But the reverse is not necessarily true; each student needs to be challenged, regardless of “level” of performance or ability. Meeting these individual needs means smaller classrooms–fewer students per instructor–and interactive, student-centered lessons. (Computer-assisted instruction, with teacher guidance as needed, is one of many valuable tools in the toolbox.) And yes, it’s expensive. You’ve seen the bumper stickers: “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.”
Huntley Hills Tiger
February 14th, 2013
4:54 pm
What public appearance by a politician isn’t a photo op? Where was Bush on 9/11? Where was he when he declared “mission accomplished?” All parties do it, doesn’t mean they don’t sometimes serve to a valid way to present & advocate for policy. It’s what they are elected to do.
Old joke: What’s the most dangerous place in the world? Between ___ (any politician you care to mock) & a camera.
Once Again
February 14th, 2013
4:55 pm
Why would he start learning anything now?
The government is already a failure at K-12 education. Why would we want to insure that kids get another year of failure and indoctrination? And if it becomes “mandatory”, will parents have to provide proof (likely through expensive and pointless standardized testing) that they are “educating” their children or face jail time like homeschoolers do today?
The sooner this system collapses and everyone is forced to finally take care of their own children and solve their own problems through VOLUNTARY means rather than using the force and guns of government to achieve their goals, the better off this country and everyone in it will be.
And he screwed up traffic all over town to boot.
Just Sayin.....
February 14th, 2013
4:59 pm
It’s a long photo op. Obama doesn’t “learn” from these things, he is campaigning to push his own agenda. This was staged to push his SOTU agenda, nothing more.
Georgia Dad
February 14th, 2013
5:02 pm
At least we are talking about education funding. The priorities of this country are so out of whack. Corporations trip over themselves to get their names on sports stadiums. Maybe we could have a pre k class sponsored by Coca-Cola.
TOK
February 14th, 2013
5:03 pm
My daughter, who is 4 years old and has Down Syndrome, attends an inclusion classroom at College Heights school in Decatur. I really like the way they do things there. She attends the class with all of the other kids (a few of whom have special needs), and the special ed teacher and parapro are there in the classroom to help provide support. Then she’s pulled from the classroom occasionally for speech therapy, and for small group or one-on-one extra work on learning her numbers, colors, and stuff like that. It’s an excellent model for helping children with special needs achieve all that they can, and I think it helps benefit the other children too. (My daughter fits right in there.) And the people working at College Heights are enthusiastic and more than competent.
Did Obama learn anything valuable? I don’t know. But he could have, if he listened to what people like Mary McMahon said to him.
TOK
February 14th, 2013
5:06 pm
Oh, and it was interesting walking through a metal detector this morning to drop her off at school and walking down the hallways, with secret service agents all over the place standing next to giant cardboard dinosaurs and drip art by preschoolers in the style of Jackson Pollock.
A Conservative Voice
February 14th, 2013
5:15 pm
Whatta you think your president was doing, Maureen? Why did he come to Decatur?…..duh. Q.How much did all this cost? A. More than America can afford. My advice to him would be to “stay in DC in HIS OFFICE and do what we’re paying him to do instead of running all over the world doing nothing useful.
And finally, to “chillywilly” – If he’ll start acting presidential, we’ll start calling him President *****
FarTrain
February 14th, 2013
5:21 pm
One long ,expensive, totally unnecessary photo op! Love that photo of the little girl looking at him like he is a useless dork, and she is right. That’s the look I would give him myself.
Fed up
February 14th, 2013
5:24 pm
Did any of you question NCLB? Of course you didn’t…. I would gladly pay a few more dollars to ensure that our children have the best education possible as opposed to contributing to sports stadiums that we don’t need. One last thing: President Obama has earned the title and whether you like him or not, it would be nice if you people would respect the Office…. I didn’t care for George Bush but I always address his as President Bush seeing that he earned the title whether I voted for him or not… The level of disrespect is ridiculous and pointless…. He is President of the United States and you might as well get over it…..Pick a better candidate next time….
I love teaching. I hate what it is becoming...
February 14th, 2013
5:31 pm
What sad, bitter people some of you are.
William Casey
February 14th, 2013
5:39 pm
@ONCEAGAIN: “The government is already a failure at K-12 education. Why would we want to insure that kids get another year of failure and indoctrination?” The United States is the richest and most powerful nation in the history of the world. Please detail EXACTLY how our education system is a failure? Is American success all the result of private school graduates? Foreign educated graduates? Your post is a load of BS. Take your anarchism elsewhere!
Momcat
February 14th, 2013
6:14 pm
He was so impressed with the public schools in GA, when his 4 years are over, he will remove his girls from Sidwell and enroll them here. He is SUCH an advocate of public schools. Hurry up 2017.
marm
February 14th, 2013
6:15 pm
I love it when people deride the US education system, while people from around the world are lietrally dying to get their children into it. Yes, in many parts of this country, schools and parents need to do a better job. We hear from those in the know, how much better education is in Asia, etc, but what they fail to tell you is that those countries only education a select portion of their children. I wonder how these folks complaining would react if their children were requred to take an exam at the end or elementary school that would determine the rest of their lives? Do you get more education or does our education end? If you fail, you’re done, unless your family has money or influence. That’s the reality in much of the world. Complain and villify all you want, but how many of you can affort 12 years of private school? When you continuously tear down your own, you eventually destroying your own. History is a wonderful thing because it already documented what society was like when only the rich or influencial were allowed an education.
Wilbur
February 14th, 2013
7:16 pm
Chlly Willy ALWAYS called Bush Mr. President.
Right.
Clutch Cargo
February 14th, 2013
7:39 pm
@I love teaching
“What sad, bitter people some of you are.”
When someone puts “hate” in their handle on here, it pretty much disqualifies them from personal judgements. If you hate it so much, why don’t you hum a few bars of “Take This Job And Shove It” and go get a job that can love you back?
Drama Diva.
Old timer
February 14th, 2013
7:49 pm
Photo op……everything he does is a photo op.
living in an outdated ed system
February 14th, 2013
9:18 pm
Regardless of whether or not it was a photo op, it is wonderful for the President to expose the country to a pre-k program that is working in our state. I’m glad he is pushing early childhood education. We must create a quality pre-school through high school education system, and the early years are vital to achieving this goal.
julio quintana
February 14th, 2013
10:10 pm
it is always about the phot op, the man has no substance….
Pat
February 14th, 2013
10:35 pm
Maybe he would have learned something if he didn’t show up when the school was on winter break and told parents to bring their kids in, so I saw photo op.
ylojkt
February 14th, 2013
10:36 pm
Our state has regularly rated below #45 in education out of our 50 states in the last twenty years or so, #48 on average; you would think he would pick somewhere with a better track record.
I have three kids in Ga’s educational system right now, and I do think they are getting a good education. I’m proud of what I have seen offered and what my kids have taken part in, but I also see a lot of underaged curriculum in the “regular” classes, too. The accelerated programs are on par with few elsewhere for certain, but the regular studies are just sad. Our kids should learn a lot more than they do in the “regular” classes, and if they can’t learn this limited info, then they should be moved to vocational school. One of my sons decided for a year that the advanced classes were too hard for him, so he wanted to take regular classes the next year. One semester of that level of ignorance cured him of that idea for the rest of his education, he had no desire to be in daycare until he was 18.
Sparky
February 14th, 2013
10:47 pm
Ha. Now Maureen is just trolling the mouth-breathers here with her blog titles.
Once Again
February 14th, 2013
11:14 pm
William Casey – I don’t need to detail what a failure K-12 is in this country. That’s pretty much what this blog is about every day. And if there aren’t enough failings mentioned here, there are generally plenty mentioned on the front page of this and every paper in the nation. The fact that some manage to get through the system and achieve does not change the fact that the system in general is a complete failure. It is founded on the violence of theft/taxation so at its very core it is immoral. We are an immensely wealthy nation IN SPITE of everything the government is doing. It is scary to think of how much better our education system would be and how much wealthier we would ALL be if government were limited to those activities in Article 1 Section 8 (or a whole lot less). A voluntary society is a prosperous, free, and freedom filled society.
Bernie
February 14th, 2013
11:28 pm
Maureen, Your Question should BE did the politcal Leadership of Georgia learn anything about insuring the Future of Georgia’s Children. Governor Deal and his Administration has continually, Cut the Education Budgets of every school system in the State Of Georgia. Cutting during a time when every other industrialized NATION in the WORLD, is tripling their education budgets to insure their citizen children continually remain competitive and surpass our American children in every subject of MATH and SCIENCE in this Global Market we find our selves in.
Such prefaces stated by you, routinely makes me question the depth of your intelligence on this subject matter.
3schoolkids
February 14th, 2013
11:47 pm
@William Casey: You asked but he didn’t deliver. You shouldn’t have bothered.
Yes, it was a photo op. Yes, we have a great Prek program and it is helping and should be replicated, or even improved upon Nationwide. Can we also get IDEA fully funded like he promised in 2008?
DrDr
February 14th, 2013
11:56 pm
Maureen, First of all I don’t like your title. Second, He is the president of the United States. It was a great experience for our children. The media follows politicians and what is your point?. At least he cares about educating our children at an early age to decrease the drop out rate.
DrDr
February 15th, 2013
12:00 am
@julio quintana, you need pre-school and use spell check. It appears you have no substance.
Grasshopper
February 15th, 2013
12:50 am
We would have great Pre-K education across the country if parents would stay home with their kids and teach them one on one until they are ready for kindergarten instead of dumping them off at ‘day-care’ so they can go pay for the Mercedes and McMansions.
We would have great Pre-K education across the country if all the Baby Mommas and Baby Daddies would quit waving babies around like so much bling on their arms.
We would have great Pre-K education across the country if the federal government would stay out of education and do it’s job instead: defense, courts, interstate transportation, a budget.
We would have great Pre-K education across the country if Obama would stay in Washington and do his constitutionally limited-powers job instead of junking up the streets with his million vehicle motorcade taking him to a — PHOTO OP.
DrDr
February 15th, 2013
1:54 am
@Grashopper, you missed interpret the entire article. You have a problem comprehending. This is why we need pre-school. You have a problem.
Beverly Fraud
February 15th, 2013
6:28 am
Did any of you question NCLB?
Yes you better believe some of us where just as vehement about NCLB as we are about the RTTP disaster.
Moon
February 15th, 2013
8:22 am
I wonder if our President is aware that the county’s (Dekalb) school district that contains the City of Decatur is morally and financially bankrupt. Did his staffers/researchers/briefers tell him that there was no need to meet with the District’s Super. because he had been placed days ago during the midst of yet another failed administration. Did anyone tell him that Atkinson had just quit…14 months after the last Super. (Lewis) had milked us dry! Mr. Obama must have known that…I wonder what he thought of it. I would give a million dollars to know what he thinks of Dekalb since he has to have knowledge of it. I am so embarrassed to be a teacher in this county. Since Friday I have been very depressed. I am young and giving up on public education. I love teaching. I love my students; but it just isn’t enough when people play games with our future. I feel like a pawn in a really big, bad joke. I hate to say it but I am going to move into the private sphere/adult education. And when I have children they will most definately be attending a private school so that I can control how my money is spent and I can make executive decisions about the quality of their education. These are sad sad times. (Don’t have enough energy to edit, sorry)
TC
February 15th, 2013
8:51 am
This was a photo op. He only knows how to campaign. Administration is for the little people and is not glamorous.
Insider
February 15th, 2013
9:07 am
Interesting that the President chose a school in a school system (City Schools of Decatur) that was out on WInter Break all this week at which to make his case.
Parents had to bring their kids in on a holiday in order to make the President look good.
Well done sir!
Beverly Fraud
February 15th, 2013
9:15 am
Were any school staff forced or pressured to come into work on a scheduled off day Maureen?
If a staffer knows, hope they will post here…
Maureen Downey
February 15th, 2013
9:20 am
@Beverly, I talked to some staffers who were delighted about a sitting US president visiting their school and said they would not have missed it for anything. They took it as an honor and an historic moment and wanted to be part of it. And they are proud of their work and thrilled to be in the national limelight for a day. There were also people who took the day off from their jobs to come to downtown Decatur to be part of the hoopla.
Maureen
homeschooler
February 15th, 2013
9:29 am
So much of what the President said bothered me.
I wish I had the actual transcript but, first of all, he mentioned something about it being a fact that the earlier kids start school the better educated they become. I do not agree with this statement. In many countries (Finland is the first that comes to mind) kids start school at age 7. Pre-school years are just that. PRE…school years. First grade is the FIRST grade. Years ago when we had a a good educational system in this country public schools did not start until 1st grade. As a person who has home schooled and who has a Masters in Psychology I have had a lot of education and experience with child development. Nothing I have ever learned or experienced suggests that a child needs to be in a classroom setting to learn at 4 years old. On the contrary it can be damaging for many children who need less structure. Most kids (especially boys) learn more from exploring on their own and are simply lost in this setting.
Now, having worked extensively with lower socioeconomic classes I’d be the first to admit the kids often get very little stimulation at home so, perhaps, it is better for them to be in an academic setting all day away from their parents but it still goes against a child’s natural development. A four year old should be playing outside for hours a day, painting at the kitchen table. Learning to spell her name with magnets on the refrigerator.
When are people going to admit that the actual reason for Pre- K and Kindergarten is to provide child care because so many families have to or choose to have two parents working full time. How many people who can stay home with their children CHOOSE to put their child in an all day pre-K program. Most I know will choose a partial day or partial week program just for socialization etc. FACT if every family had one parent at home we would still be starting grade school in the 1st grade. Public Kindergarten came along about the time all the moms went to work. I wish President Obama would make a commitment that no family in America would have to have two incomes to survive. I wish he would focus on the family and not suggest (once again) that families are incapable so the government must step in and raise the children.
My other problem was his statement that (paraphrasing) No child should start off the race of life a step behind. Does he really think starting government school early is going to change that? What about all of the children born with no fathers or born to teenage moms. What about the kids whose parents name them La-a (pronounced Ladasha “cause the dash don’t be silent”). Are they NOT a step behind? Once again the focus is all out of whack. We can’t fix families by doing their jobs for them! The money spent on a national Pre-K would be better spent on mandatory parenting classes.
Maureen Downey
February 15th, 2013
9:39 am
@homeschooler: Click here for the text of his speech, which I posted here yesterday
Pardon My Blog
February 15th, 2013
10:13 am
PHOTO OP! Utilizing the kids to force more government and taxes on us just like Stalin and Hitler!
CSD Parent/Teacher
February 15th, 2013
10:16 am
@Beverly Fraud – As a teacher in the City Schools of Decatur and a parent of a middle schooler in the system, I can attest that none of the staff were cajoled or forced into coming in. In fact, there were only a certain number of tickets available for staff members and some colleagues were not able to go, much to their disappointment. As a former Dekalb teacher for over 20 years, I can also tell you with much assurance that the difference in teacher morale between the two systems is the difference between night and day. In Dekalb, we were forced to attend “pep rallies” for the newest superintendent, then returned to our over-crowded classrooms with few resources with which to teach. In CSD, teacher morale is very high because the system treats you as a professional, not as a number. I am proud to be a part of such a system, and it was my honor to receive one of the tickets to see a sitting President come into our system yesterday. I would have given up several days off, if needed, because CSD honors my contributions.
homeschooler
February 15th, 2013
10:22 am
Thanks Maureen…funny I read it yesterday and couldn’t remember where I’d seen it.
Here are the exact quotes I’m talking about. “Study after study shows that the earlier a child begins learning, the better he or she does down the road” Now I would agree with this if “learning” is not synonymous with “classroom” but obviously President Obama’s vision is for all of the four year olds in the country to be in classrooms. That is a sad vision to me.
Here’s the other quote. “Let’s make sure none of our kids start out the race of life already a step behind.” To late. The day many of these kids are born the are starting out behind.
Sorry I will just never agree that schooling the masses at an early age is the answer to the education problems and it is not going to do anything to build individual greatness. That kind of greatness is difficult to achieve when trying to all fit in the same mold.
CSD Mamma
February 15th, 2013
11:06 am
I don’t think anything nationally meaningful will come from yesterday’s visit but I did love to see our wonderful school system get the attention and recognition it deserves.
My 5 year old was not exciting about meeting the President yesterday but when we pulled into school and he saw his teachers standing outside on the playground (whom he hadn’t seen all week because of the break) he was absolutely over the moon.
If there is any confusion as to why Decatur parents are so passionate about clarifying that our school system has NOTHING to do with DeKalb, just know that all of those wonderful people placed behind the President during his speech at the Rec Center were teachers – not admin staff. The person given the honor of introducing the President is a teacher. Would that happen in DeKalb? While we also love our amazing superintendent, it was just so heartwarming to see the attention go to the teachers. We love and adore and respect our teachers in this system and, as parents, we shower them with support, time, encouragement, love, and of course – gift cards! Yes, we are quick to defend this school system, our teachers, and our administrative staff – they absolutely deserve to be defended!
RCB
February 15th, 2013
11:10 am
@DrDr….you would do well to check your own posts if you’re concerned about spelling, etc. Most of us type quickly and attempt to correct mistakes. You may need pre-school to learn how to use capital letters and how to spell “misinterpret.”
csdparentteacher
February 15th, 2013
12:27 pm
@CSD Mamma – Well said! I wasn’t one of the lucky ones to make it to the stage, but so many of my colleagues were thrilled beyond belief at being chosen. Mary McMahon, a classroom teacher, did an outstanding job introducing the President while our Superintendent sat on the sidelines with a smile. My middle schooler was THRILLED to see some of her teachers on the television behind the President, as well. It’s a completely different mindset in CSD as compared to Dekalb.
catlady
February 15th, 2013
12:40 pm
I thot Ms. McMahon was an intervention teacher? Not inclusion?
Once Again
February 15th, 2013
12:43 pm
homeschooler – excellent comments all around. And thank you for caring enough to homeschool your kids.
Maureen Downey
February 15th, 2013
1:33 pm
@Catlady, You’re right. I have corrected. We talked a lot about inclusion, but she is an intervention teacher.
Maureen
River
February 15th, 2013
6:47 pm
Let me tell you guys why this was all for show – yesterday the President watched a pre-K school in action as an example for the nation, and what did I find today when I went to pick up my kid from the pre-school program at College Heights? All 3-year olds sitting in the library WATCHING A MOVIE on the big screen. Putting on a show can only last so long…
Ed Johnson
February 16th, 2013
9:44 am
The White House has been pushing out a setup for collecting comments on President Obama’s SOTU Address (http://www.whitehouse.gov/state-of-the-union-2013). The setup allows highlighting a line of text in the address then commenting on that specific line.
Below is my comment in response to where President Obama said:
“Let’s do what works, and make sure none of our children start the race of life already behind.”
Hearing President Obama say this was enough to pain ones heart and soul. How unfortunate he did not say: “Let’s do what works, and make sure none of our children start their journeys in life already behind.”
Obama’s continual allusion to competition shouldn’t go unnoticed. How much better for public education would he embrace, promote, and demonstrate cooperation. Then maybe, just maybe, we’d eventually begin to see less gun violence and other insidious forms of competition. That’s because cooperation necessarily invites empathy, compassion, and similar other life affirming qualities while competition necessarily undermines such qualities.
Why would anyone believe that competition learned in one area of life won’t transfer to other areas of life? Just think of the consequences to come as a result of inculcating within today’s youngest children a competition mindset as Obama seems to want it.
Roberta
February 16th, 2013
3:39 pm
The reality is many 6 week- 4 year olds are attending day care centers that SHOULD be providing educational opportunities for their children. Sadly for those parents who choose to raise their own toddler/preschooler; communities lack programs during the day that would offer enriching opportunities for SAHM’s and their lil one’s. The push is to get a child into a government program at the youngest age possible. True change would bring more opportunities to families to care for their own children, and not rely on government to educate their child. (from where I lived, Early Head Start day care services for one baby cost taxpayers $14,500 a year! All so a single Welfare to Work mom can go to her minimal paying job instead of collecting a welfare check. Now we married couples with kids would call this foolish spending. But to liberals like Pres Obama this is viewed as progress.)
Roberta
February 16th, 2013
4:03 pm
In 2010, Uwe and Hannelore Romeike, who lived with their five children in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, concerned that the educational material employed by the school was undermining the tenets of their Christian faith. they chose to flee their homeland and seek asylum in the United States. On January 26, 2010, a federal immigration judge granted the Romeikes political asylum, ruling they had a reasonable fear of persecution for their beliefs if they returned to their homeland.
However, President Obama’s Justice Department disagreed. They argued that the family should be denied asylum based on their contention that governments may legitimately use its authority to force parents to send their kids to government-sanctioned schools. The case is currently pending in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.
This is our new government. The thought now is government knows how to educate best. How can government ‘fix’ a broken family by sending the child off to government nursery or preschool? As long as a mom stays single (and says Baby Daddy does not live in the home), Baby Daddy is not responsible for caring for his own children. She can get free child care from 6 weeks on. No need to watch your child. Drop the lil one off at the care of strangers all day. And the government will pick up the tab. The more government intrudes into your life, the less personal responsibility you have for your actions. FYI- Pres Obama. Government social welfare policy has destroyed more two-parent homes since the War on Poverty began. Failed social policy has kept kids behind from the start.
Mack Earnest
February 18th, 2013
5:48 am
There are truly some sad, angry and mean spirited people on this site. No matter what this President does he will receive bad press. At least he is trying to fix this broken educational system. I don’t recall
Bush, Romney Mccain, John Boehner concerned about our children’s education. THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT FOR BEING CONCERNED ABOUT OF CHILDREN.
Ole Guy
February 18th, 2013
2:40 pm
Lets take a good hard look at reality: Obviously, the “education lieutenants” within the Beltway have failed miserably, so the “general” goes out in the trenches to try and rally the troops…the local educational gurus. I find it hard to understand just how Georgia made any impression, on the Washington scene, as to being any kind of “leader” within the educational venue. I would imagine it’s probably got something to do with the art of self-promotion, something at which both ATL and Georgia excel…selling an empty bill of goods.
We saw, in the aftermath of Katrina, how G set up an elaborate backdrop, among the devastation of New Orleans, for the singular purpose of creating one helluva photo op. When any meaningful action becomes too expensive, too onerous, or simply out of the question, this is what politicians do.
Private Citizen
February 19th, 2013
6:09 am
Homeschooler, You are right to call out the quote “race of life” applied to students. So we’re all rats on a treadmill set to benefit the corporate system?
The other thing that is kind-of-a-drag is with President Obama being the first bi-racial president, the repeated use of “race” in his education political language. It’s like it’s all a hype bubble party. “Race to the Top” is certainly no bubble party for the adults who have to do it.
Referent: “bubble party” when at a rave or a nightclub, a machine is used to fill the dance floor with bubbles. But I guess since the middle class has no money, that party is over. No party for you. http://sotontab.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/foam-party-shower.jpg Now is the “adjustment” “normalisation” phase of “austerity.” Goes like this: Wall Street removes every last dollar from the middle class and tells you to get used to it as the new norm.
Private Citizen
February 19th, 2013
6:16 am
Seems like President Obama has visited one of the wealthiest most sophisticated mini-districts in the United States and now he will wave his magic wand and declare this to be the reality for everyone, like in rural Georgia where school children still do not have eye glasses. President Obama is doing a lot of that. His healthcare plan is supposed to apply to all – like a european public health system, yet his still supports the executive compensation system for: 1) hospital administration 2) pharmaco 3) private insurance companies. President Obama says, “Healthcare? Done.” Meanwhile, Joe Nitwit with a framing hammer or a plumbing truck has no health insurance and is not going to be paying $1000. per month for it – ever.
Private Citizen
February 19th, 2013
6:28 am
I recently volunteered at a competition animal event. One person there had recently had a heart attack and gone to hospital. Like so many, this person is not health-insured. They got a $20k hospital bill and were laughing about it. They hospital said, “If you pay it now in full, you get this price.” The was a consensus among many of the people who worked with animals that no one could afford to pay for health insurance.
President Obama, how’s that “Obamacare” going?
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Relevance to article: Money makes the world go around and in the USA, we’re sunk / stuck. The head daydreamer can make all the proclamations he like. In reality, his RTTT has been used to clean out every experienced teacher possible and replace them with fresh young low paid labor. There is quite a disparity is what this man says and the reality of the actions of his administration. There should be a term for a person who advocates fantasy. A fantasy-ist? There are probably lesser terms that might be said at a truck stop.
Private Citizen
February 19th, 2013
7:23 am
“Race to the Top” and if you’re white, it’s not your race we’re talking about.
This is an entirely different message from “excellent education for all based on clear methods and applied work ethic.” Not mention… (oh, it’s too much!) who says that everyone wants to go to college and be a debt slave? What ever happened to trade schools? I guess they don’t “race” fast enough toward they box car. Skilled labor might actually make some money for themselves, as opposed to the “college” crowd and their resulting payments, “your new best friend – your payment – and 50% of it ain’t principal – it’s interest). Ever heard of debt slavery?
Private Citizen
February 19th, 2013
7:27 am
How much double speak and force-applied impossibilities can was bear?
Who ever said the federal DOE is getting turned into an Education IRS Agency is exactly correct.