In the fall of 2008, 216 District of Columbia low-income students were notified by the United States Department of Education that they had been selected to receive scholarships to attend the school of their choice. No longer would they have to worry about violence and other distractions at school. They were about to be given the same opportunity President Obama had when he was given a scholarship to attend an elite private school in Hawaii.
But then Obama was elected president with the help of the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers. One of his first acts as President of the United States was to send letters to these 216 kids informing them that their scholarships were being revoked. They would not be attending the school of their choice any more. To protect teacher union jobs and union dues, they would have to attend the failing schools in their neighborhood.
