Education Sacrificed at the Altar of Political Expediency

Lindsey Burke / January 12, 2010

In today’s Washington Examiner, Barbara Hollingsworth writes about the injustice being committed to D.C. children by ending the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program. Hollingsworth’s impassioned words get at the heart of the crisis:

It’s virtually impossible to get rid of federal programs that don’t work, so it’s even more astounding that a successful education program for low-income African American children is being phased-out by Democrats on Capitol Hill.

Without, I might add, a peep of protest from President Obama, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, the Revs. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, or members of the Congressional Black Caucus.

What happened to ‘the fierce urgency of now’? How in heaven’s name can Congress sit there bailing out failed automakers, irresponsible bankers and Wall Street tycoons while yanking hope away from 1,700 impoverished District schoolchildren? (more…)