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Obamas Choose Sidwell Friends School for Daughters
Wall Street Journal ^ | 11/21/08 | Brad Haynes

Posted on 11/21/2008 5:11:02 PM PST by Elvina

Clinton, Daschle, Geithner… The big-name speculation over President-elect Barack Obama’s Cabinet appointments can wait while Obama watchers focus on another critical name that surfaced on Friday: Sidwell.

The Associated Press is reporting that the Obamas have chosen the Sidwell Friends School in Washington for daughters Sasha, seven years old, and Malia, 10. The private Quaker school’s alumni include former presidential offspring Chelsea Clinton and Tricia Nixon Cox, as well as House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank and a former princess of Japan.

Sidwell Friends beat out another elite school, Georgetown Day School. Michelle Obama and her daughters reportedly visited both schools on Tuesday. Sidwell, with campuses in Northwest Washington and Bethesda, Md., is home to nearly 1,100 students from pre-Kindergarten to 12th grade. Tuition at the lower school is $28,442 and $29,442 at the middle and upper schools.

A spokeswoman for Michelle Obama was quoted by AP as saying the Obamas feel Sidwell provides “the best fit for what their daughters need now,” including being able to accommodate security and privacy concerns. The Obama girls have also become good friends with Vice President-elect Joe Biden’s grandchildren, who attend the school.

The Obama family also discussed public school options for the girls, according to Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty. The girls currently attend the private University of Chicago Laboratory Schools located in Chicago’s South Side.

(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia; US: Maryland
KEYWORDS: bho2008; education; nobama; obama; obamafamily; obamatransitionfile; privateschools; publikskools; quakers; sidwellfriends
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To: John W

Perhaps there is a statue out front of Princess Barney in a tutu with his boyfriend.


41 posted on 11/21/2008 5:33:04 PM PST by Elvina (BHO is double plus ungood.)
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The first Black President plans sends his daughter to private school
myself | 5 Nov. 2008 | Trueblackman
Posted on 11/05/2008 8:05:50 PM PST by Trueblackman
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2126684/posts


42 posted on 11/21/2008 5:34:23 PM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_______Profile finally updated Saturday, October 11, 2008 !!!)
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To: CharlesWayneCT

No, it’s a pink and red school.


43 posted on 11/21/2008 5:34:30 PM PST by piasa (How's that change workin' for ya?)
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To: ml/nj
Give them a break.

I forgot to address this part. I am not giving them a break when I won't get any break on the thousands of dollars of taxes I pay per year to our local dangerous and disastrous public schools, on top of the thousands we pay to the private school we send our children to. They love the public schools so much; they should have to live with them. No breaks for me, no breaks for them.

44 posted on 11/21/2008 5:38:06 PM PST by Elvina (BHO is double plus ungood.)
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To: piasa

My kids go to a prep school in the same athletic conference as Sidwell. It’s a fine school, small, but yes, most of the students there are white.

I’m surprised the Obamas didn’t look at National Cathedral for their daughters. IMHO a better school academically.


45 posted on 11/21/2008 5:38:14 PM PST by SallyH
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To: giotto

That’s what I always say about this. The girls’ safety is most important.


46 posted on 11/21/2008 5:38:26 PM PST by mccainvoterinobamaville (My new chant IM STRAIGHT IM GREAT AND I LIVE IN THE LOWER 48!)
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To: stylin19a

I went to a Quaker school. I had specialized in avoiding public schoolyard bullies by getting low grades, averaging B- by avoiding homework. First months grades in the Quaker school were C, D-,F, F, and FF. Getting good grades was OK there, and there were no schoolyard bullies. After 2 years I made it easily into college. Cost? $550 yr including room and board. When? 1938.


47 posted on 11/21/2008 5:38:27 PM PST by dr huer
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To: Elvina

Yes it is hypocritical, but it wouldn’t be a good idea to have the president’s kids in the DC public schools.

The last think I would want to hear about is one of them getting shanked before 4th period.


48 posted on 11/21/2008 5:38:55 PM PST by Mr. Blonde (You ever thought about being weird for a living?)
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To: generally

Sidwell has a who-you-know or who-you-are admissions policy. And can swing its pricy tuition.


49 posted on 11/21/2008 5:39:51 PM PST by EDINVA
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To: Elvina

<< cough >> Offspring of Bawney Fwrank?


50 posted on 11/21/2008 5:40:01 PM PST by ataDude
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To: Elvina

“Little Red School House” in DC. Most famous Alum... Chelsea Clinton.


51 posted on 11/21/2008 5:42:23 PM PST by Cincinna (TIME TO REBUILD * JINDAL* PALIN * CANTOR 2012)
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To: ataDude

Well, after a re-read, I guess maybe it was just Bawney Fwrank and not offspring. Thank goodness... no nightmares tonight.


52 posted on 11/21/2008 5:43:27 PM PST by ataDude
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To: Elvina

Never, never underestimate the hypocrisy of a liberal. Especially when they (both man and wife) are loons.


53 posted on 11/21/2008 5:43:35 PM PST by Da Coyote (-)
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To: generally

Highly competitive admissions.


54 posted on 11/21/2008 5:43:43 PM PST by Cincinna (TIME TO REBUILD * JINDAL* PALIN * CANTOR 2012)
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To: dr huer
2 years' total high school, or 2 years in public & 2 in Quaker school?

If the former thats what I'd call an accelerated program.

55 posted on 11/21/2008 5:44:36 PM PST by skeeter (Its Barry's fault)
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To: HomeschoolMomma

“Hey maybe this Quaker thing won’t be so bad after all. At least the kids might end up Christians!”

Uh, not really.

From the school Web site: [My comments in brackets.]

http://www.sidwell.edu/documents/ms_curr_guide08-09.pdf

Sidwell Friends Lower School is dedicated to educating the mind, body, and spirit of each child with special emphasis on the Quaker principles of dignity, self-worth, and reverence for life. [Apparently the parents don’t have to follow that principle.]

Meeting for Worship is held once a week in groups of varying sizes. Each day begins with a period of silence as well. There is some study of Quaker history and practice as part of the Middle School advisory and seventh grade Quakerism and the Arts curriculum, but the School’s commitment to Quaker values is also seen in frequent discussions of issues of equality, peace, and social justice [Sounds like usual liberal cr*p. Gee, what a surprise...] in our classrooms, and in the community expectations published in the Handbook for Parents and Students.

Community service is an important part of the Middle School program and also reflects the School’s commitment to Quaker values. Fifth graders help around the school campus, sixth graders work with young children, and each 7/8 team participates in service projects three days during the year. In addition, all Middle School students participate in school-wide projects and help keep their homerooms and team areas cleaned. [Fits right in with O’s mandatory community service idea.]

Quakerism and the Arts provides an opportunity for seventh grade students to reflect on their own ethical and spiritual beliefs or disbeliefs while learning about some of the guiding testimonies and practices of the Religious Society of Friends. Personal stories are the theme of this class, and Playback Theater is the central method taught and used for reflecting on individual stories. [All about me, me, me!]


56 posted on 11/21/2008 5:45:31 PM PST by LibFreeOrDie (Obama promised a gold mine, but heÂ’ll give us the shaft.)
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To: Elvina
I am not giving them a break when I won't get any break on the thousands of dollars of taxes I pay per year to our local dangerous and disastrous public schools

My guess is that Obama pays school taxes too. And you're special because?

ML/NJ

57 posted on 11/21/2008 5:48:37 PM PST by ml/nj
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To: John W
"House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank a former princess of Japan. Fixed."

Yes, the former princess is now a queen.

58 posted on 11/21/2008 5:48:52 PM PST by hometoroost (Obama our first Halfrican-American president)
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To: Elvina
Public School: "Good enough for you,...

If you're goal in life is to be an over-educated idiot that gets along with fellow idiots.

But hey, the price is right if one doesn't own property.

59 posted on 11/21/2008 5:51:54 PM PST by EGPWS (Trust in God, question everyone else)
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To: ataDude
Well, after a re-read, I guess maybe it was just Bawney Fwrank and not offspring. Thank goodness... no nightmares tonight.

I also initially thought the article was saying that Frank had offspring. That whole sentence could use some editing, but the comedy value of its non-parallel structure makes one grateful that Grammar 101 must have been removed from the journalism school catalog right after the removal of Objectivity 101.

60 posted on 11/21/2008 5:52:26 PM PST by Elvina (BHO is double plus ungood.)
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