School choice for the POTUS

Politico reports today that the “pool” followed POTUS and FLOTUS to the Sidwell Friends private school.

“We are told that POTUS and FLOTUS were both in the motorcade and are at the school. Your pooler assumes the visit is some sort of end-of-the-school-year event. But we have not been told what they are here for. Just that they are attending one of Sasha’s school activities.”

Take a moment to look at Sidwell’s site. I am glad the President can afford the $30,000 tuition.

Simple question – and it is the same one David Gergen asked Deval Patrick before he was elected Governor in 2006:

This question: when you were young, you won a scholarship to go off to the Milton Academy. You essentially won a ticket out of poorly-performing public schools to go to a private school where you blossomed and you have a stirring life story. Why sir, then are you so opposed to giving tickets to children who are now in public schools in Massachusetts who might want to go to a charter school or they might want a voucher. Do they deserve tickets out too?

Patrick: Well, I’ll tell you, first of all, I’m not opposed to charter schools. I think they have a critical role to play in education reform. We’ve been on this journey, I think we ought to continue on this journey.

Moderator: Right, but what about the question – there’s a lid, as you know, on charter schools. You’re opposed to lifting the lid.

After three years, the Governor changed his mind. That’s good. But the POTUS opted to kill the school choice program serving 1200+ inner city kids. Their schools of choice won’t be Sidwell Friends, but don’t they deserve the same right to choice that the POTUS and FLOTUS have made good use of?