With those words, the President sought to assure African-Americans that he truly cared about them, and would do all he could to improve their lives. But, oftentimes, actions speak louder than words.
First, you need a bit of background.
Washington D.C.’s Opportunity Scholarship Program has released its latest data on student progress in that landmark voucher program. A remarkable 97% of its students graduated from high school in the 2011-2012 school year—a 4% increase from the two previous years. This compares to a D.C. public schools graduation rate of 55%. More than 90% of parents say they are happy with their voucher child’s academic progress, and applications exceed slots for the coming school year by nearly 3 to 1. [emphasis supplied]
But, the President wants to kill this program.
In his 2014 budget, the President has allocated nothing for the D.C. voucher program, this, in spite of the fact that each voucher costs taxpayers less than $9000 per year, while taxpayers pay $18,000 per year per student for a public school education.
With a high school diploma, young African Americans have a chance to climb out of the projects that politicians have condemned their parents to…they have opportunity, they have hope.
Without a high school diploma, these children have nothing.
Can anyone explain why the President, whose two children go to private school, wouldn’t want other African American children to have the same opportunity?
And, more to the point, if the President truly cared about young African Americans as he proclaims he does, why would he deny them their best chance to succeed?