Obama stresses public education but sends daughters private school

The two daughters of U.S. President Barack Obama began to attend Sidwell Friends School in 2009 when they moved to Washington D.C. Obama’s 18-year-old daughter Malia graduated from the school this year and 15-year-old daughter Sasha is attending the school. Thus, his family will stay in Washington for a while after leaving the White House next month.

Founded in 1883, Sidwell Friends School is described as “the Harvard of Washington’s private schools.” The school offers pre-kindergarten through secondary school education and has educated children of notable politicians and businessmen, including Bill Clinton’s only daughter Chelsea Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden’s grandchildren.

The yearly tuition payment of this school is about 29,442 U.S. dollars. According to the New York Times, Mr. and Mrs. Obama had compared the school with Georgetown Day School and Maret School. Georgetown Day was established in 1945 and became Washington’s first integrated school and Maret was an international school founded in 1911.

The president and the First Lady listened to their daughters and sent them to a private school, instead of a public school nearby. However, they could not avoid criticism over their decision as Obama had been stressing the importance and superiority of public education system during his presidential campaign.

Before they moved to Washington, their daughters attended the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools (Lab) in Chicago. Former Education Secretary Arne Duncan graduated from Lab and has produced famous broadcasters, journalists, and film producers. Malia Obama might be influenced by her elementary education and her dream is to be a film producer.

Malia takes a so-called gap year between high school and college and will attend Harvard University in the fall of 2017. Both Obama and Michelle graduated from Harvard Law School.

The New York Times interpreted Malia’s decision as a rebel against constant advice from her parents, apparently disregarding her parents' counsel that she doesn't need to choose a school with a big name and reputation. However, she picked Harvard, the most prestigious university in the world.

Her insistence to attend Harvard reflected on Michelle’s teenage days. In a recent interview with Seventeen Magazine, she recalled, “When it was time for me to apply to colleges there were some counselors who said, ‘'Maybe, with Princeton, you're reaching a little high.” Michelle did not give up and went to Princeton and later graduated from Harvard Law School.

Eun-A Cho achim@donga.com