Obama Loves Charters--Vouchers, Not So Much

President Obama, personally and through his surrogate Arne Duncan, has come out strongly in favor of charter school.

Duncan proposes 20 "enterprise zones" for charter schools.

Obama supports charter schools and merit pay (which is really only thriving in the charter school environment). As charter advocates, we welcome their support and top cover.

However, the current spending bill making its way to the president for signature contains a possible poison pill. It includes language that would eviscerate the public school voucher system in Washington D.C. This places President Obama on the horns of a delicious dilemma. If he signs the bill into law, he will slash the funds used by two students to attend Sidwell Friends school, the elite private academy where his daughters attend. If he refuses to sign he angers the Democrat Party majority that included the rider in the legislation. This is not a trivial decision.

If choice is right for charter schools, why not vouchers? If we have a trillion dollars to spend stimulating the economy through grants and earmarks, why not stimulate the economy by giving more students the superior education offered by many charter and private schools?