Better than Chris Wallace w/Larry Summers: Berkowitz w/5th CD Candidate Charles Wheelan on School Vouchers,President Obama & more; Cable and Streaming
Jeff Berkowitz: You exercise choice, and you think other people should also have that choice?
Charles Wheelan> [Watch here]: Yes and basically, you find too many Democrats with their kids in private schools saying--
Jeff Berkowitz: Barack Obama--fifty seven thousand dollars to send Sasha and Malia to Sidwell Friends, fifty seven thousand. He said on this show, in 2002, he'd consider everything [to try to improve education in the inner cities]. [But, then,] he said in 2003, no [to school] vouchers, [yes to] charter schools, not choice. So in a sense, Barack Obama's being a bit of a hypocrite.
Charles Wheelan [5th CD Dem. Primary candidate]: I think that he is in on that score. I have no problem with his sending his kids to a private school, that's a personal decision. The [University of Chicago] Lab School is a terrific institution. But I do think [Obama] ought to at least entertain that opportunity [for others].
****************************************
Tonight's Chicago edition of "Public Affairs," features Charles Wheelan, 5th Cong. District Democratic Primary candidate. See here for more about the show's topics, Charles Wheelan and a partial transcript of the show and post-game comments by Charles Wheelan.
The show airs throughout the City of Chicago tonight at 8:30pm on Cable Ch. 21 (CANTV) and on cable in Aurora and surrounding areas at 7:30 pm on ACTV-10. The Aurora station, Aurora Community Television, Comcast Cable Ch. 10, reaches all of Aurora, Bristol, Big Rock and parts of Oswego, Sandwich, Sugar Grove and Montgomery. The show also will air in Rockford and surrounding areas this Thursday night at 8:00 pm on Cable Ch. 17.
***********************************
You can watch the show with 5th Cong. District Democratic Primary candidate Charles Wheelan on your computer. The show was taped on January 18, 2009
******************************************
Improving education for kids of low income parents, long term.
Jeff Berkowitz: How do you improve education for those low-income people in your district? High-income people can figure it out and take care of themselves.
Charles Wheelan [5th CD Dem. Primary candidate]: There's good news and bad news. The good news is we have data showing exactly how you do it. The bad news is you start with pre-k education, particularly for kids in disadvantaged areas.
Jeff Berkowitz: Why is that bad news?
Charles Wheelan: Because it means its twenty-some years before those kids are in the labor force.
Jeff Berkowitz: So long term pay-off.
Charles Wheelan: And we ought to start now because it's bi-partisan.
Improving education for kids of low income parents, long term and short-term
Jeff Berkowitz: Okay, that's one thing, but you don't want to discard these kids and say we can't help the kids who are in high school if they are getting a crummy education now, right? Or, if they are in junior high.
Charles Wheelan: Absolutely not.
Jeff Berkowitz: So what would you do, coming out of [the University of] Chicago, what would you advise, what's the word I'm looking for?
Charles Wheelan [5th CD Dem. Primary candidate]: You're looking for school choice.
Jeff Berkowitz: You're opposed to school choice, coming out of Chicago?
Charles Wheelan: Oh, definitely not.
Jeff Berkowitz: You're in favor of school choice?
Charles Wheelan: Yes I am.
Jeff Berkowitz: You'd like to see school vouchers?
Charles Wheelan: I would, with some important qualifications, actually. I think this is what separates me a bit from some of the folks at [the University of Chicago]. I'm in this to actually change schools, so I think the law of unintended consequences applies to conservative ideas as well. So let me back up and say I wrote an op-ed in 1999 for the New York Times saying that Democrats ought to favor choice.
Jeff Berkowitz: School choice?
Charles Wheelan: School choice.
Defining School Choice
Jeff Berkowitz: Very quickly, what do you mean by school choice?
Charles Wheelan [5th CD Dem. Primary candidate]: Basically, allowing—and design matters—but, basically allowing kids to take money to schools of their choice.
Jeff Berkowitz: Take the money that they're getting now—[in the form of a subsidy-in-kind], in the Chicago Public Schools, people don’t realize that, per kid, per year, we spend sixteen thousand dollars…do the math.
Charles Wheelan: That sounds very high.
$16,000 per kid per year spent on education in the Chicago Public Schools
Jeff Berkowitz: Six billion dollar budget, and its fewer than four hundred thousand students. Divide four hundred thousand into six billion, and you get fifteen thousand. I'm estimating because I've heard three hundred seventy thousand student students. They kind of inflate the numbers. Let's call it fifteen thousand. I know they don't say that, but trust me, it's there. The point is that whether it's fifteen thousand or twelve thousand, your point is, people in the Chicago Public Schools should be able to take what's called their education [subsidy] in kind--right now they get the education, but give them the money—and let them stay in the public school if they want, if not-- go to the private schools.
Charles Wheelan: Right.
Wheelan signs up for School Vouchers, School Choice
Jeff Berkowitz: You would sign on to that?
Charles Wheelan: I would sign on to that, subject to some parameters. I don't want schools being able to systematically exclude kids who are the most difficult to educate. Right? So, we know--
Jeff Berkowitz: So we have to handle that.
Charles Wheelan: We have to handle that.
Jeff Berkowitz: Then you're okay with it?
Charles Wheelan: By and large.
Don’t give up on the kids.
Jeff Berkowitz: Competition occurs, people think of better ways to teach reading, writing, math, so kids with very difficult, intractable problems--they don't come from ideal homes--we don't just give up on them. This is what Teach for America does, and Knowledge is Power, and all those other things that are not necessarially choice programs do. But they don't give up on the kids, right?
Charles Wheelan: Right and my kids have benefited from—
Jeff Berkowitz: And, you don’t want to give up on the kids, right?
Obamas acting hypocritically on school vouchers, school choice?
Charles Wheelan [5th CD Dem. Primary candidate]: Absolutely not. My kids go to Chicago Public Schools, but they don't go to the school that is technically in our enrollment district. We crossed over a boundary--it's just as close--but I abhor folks who are not willing to offer the choice to kids that they exercise themselves.
Jeff Berkowitz: You exercise choice, and you think other people should also have that choice?
Charles Wheelan: Yes and basically, you find too many Democrats with their kids in private schools saying--
Jeff Berkowitz: Barack Obama--fifty seven thousand dollars to send Sasha and Malia to Sidwell Friends, fifty seven thousand. He said on this show in 2002he'd consider everything [to try to improve education in the inner cities]. [But, then,] he said in 2003, no [to school] vouchers, [yes to] charter schools, not choice. So in a sense, Barack Obama's being a bit of a hypocrite.
Charles Wheelan [5th CD Dem. Primary candidate]: I think that he is in on that score. I have no problem with his sending his kids to a private school, that's a personal decision. The [University of Chicago] Lab School is a terrific institution. But I do think [Obama] ought to at least entertain that opportunity [for others].
****************************************
This week's Chicago Metro suburban edition of "Public Affairs," features State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago), a candidate in the 5th Cong. Dist. Democratic Primary.
***********************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. *************************************************************
"Public Affairs," is a weekly political interview show airing in Chicago on CANTV, in the Chicago metro area, Aurora and Rockford on Comcast and also often on the Illinois Channel. You can watch the shows, including archived shows going back to 2005, here.
**************************************************
Recently posted shows on the Public Affairs YouTube page include shows with 5th Cong. Dist. Democratic Primary Candidate Charles Wheelan, State Senator Kwame Raoul on impeachment(D-Chicago), Democratic political campaign consultant Pete Giangreco on Blago's impeachment and the way in which the Obama Administration will operate, a recent Bill O'Reilly segment w/Berkowitz on Obama, shows with State Rep. Julie Hamos, (D-Evanston) and many more.
Charles Wheelan> [Watch here]: Yes and basically, you find too many Democrats with their kids in private schools saying--
Jeff Berkowitz: Barack Obama--fifty seven thousand dollars to send Sasha and Malia to Sidwell Friends, fifty seven thousand. He said on this show, in 2002, he'd consider everything [to try to improve education in the inner cities]. [But, then,] he said in 2003, no [to school] vouchers, [yes to] charter schools, not choice. So in a sense, Barack Obama's being a bit of a hypocrite.
Charles Wheelan [5th CD Dem. Primary candidate]: I think that he is in on that score. I have no problem with his sending his kids to a private school, that's a personal decision. The [University of Chicago] Lab School is a terrific institution. But I do think [Obama] ought to at least entertain that opportunity [for others].
****************************************
Tonight's Chicago edition of "Public Affairs," features Charles Wheelan, 5th Cong. District Democratic Primary candidate. See here for more about the show's topics, Charles Wheelan and a partial transcript of the show and post-game comments by Charles Wheelan.
The show airs throughout the City of Chicago tonight at 8:30pm on Cable Ch. 21 (CANTV) and on cable in Aurora and surrounding areas at 7:30 pm on ACTV-10. The Aurora station, Aurora Community Television, Comcast Cable Ch. 10, reaches all of Aurora, Bristol, Big Rock and parts of Oswego, Sandwich, Sugar Grove and Montgomery. The show also will air in Rockford and surrounding areas this Thursday night at 8:00 pm on Cable Ch. 17.
***********************************
You can watch the show with 5th Cong. District Democratic Primary candidate Charles Wheelan on your computer. The show was taped on January 18, 2009
******************************************
Improving education for kids of low income parents, long term.
Jeff Berkowitz: How do you improve education for those low-income people in your district? High-income people can figure it out and take care of themselves.
Charles Wheelan [5th CD Dem. Primary candidate]: There's good news and bad news. The good news is we have data showing exactly how you do it. The bad news is you start with pre-k education, particularly for kids in disadvantaged areas.
Jeff Berkowitz: Why is that bad news?
Charles Wheelan: Because it means its twenty-some years before those kids are in the labor force.
Jeff Berkowitz: So long term pay-off.
Charles Wheelan: And we ought to start now because it's bi-partisan.
Improving education for kids of low income parents, long term and short-term
Jeff Berkowitz: Okay, that's one thing, but you don't want to discard these kids and say we can't help the kids who are in high school if they are getting a crummy education now, right? Or, if they are in junior high.
Charles Wheelan: Absolutely not.
Jeff Berkowitz: So what would you do, coming out of [the University of] Chicago, what would you advise, what's the word I'm looking for?
Charles Wheelan [5th CD Dem. Primary candidate]: You're looking for school choice.
Jeff Berkowitz: You're opposed to school choice, coming out of Chicago?
Charles Wheelan: Oh, definitely not.
Jeff Berkowitz: You're in favor of school choice?
Charles Wheelan: Yes I am.
Jeff Berkowitz: You'd like to see school vouchers?
Charles Wheelan: I would, with some important qualifications, actually. I think this is what separates me a bit from some of the folks at [the University of Chicago]. I'm in this to actually change schools, so I think the law of unintended consequences applies to conservative ideas as well. So let me back up and say I wrote an op-ed in 1999 for the New York Times saying that Democrats ought to favor choice.
Jeff Berkowitz: School choice?
Charles Wheelan: School choice.
Defining School Choice
Jeff Berkowitz: Very quickly, what do you mean by school choice?
Charles Wheelan [5th CD Dem. Primary candidate]: Basically, allowing—and design matters—but, basically allowing kids to take money to schools of their choice.
Jeff Berkowitz: Take the money that they're getting now—[in the form of a subsidy-in-kind], in the Chicago Public Schools, people don’t realize that, per kid, per year, we spend sixteen thousand dollars…do the math.
Charles Wheelan: That sounds very high.
$16,000 per kid per year spent on education in the Chicago Public Schools
Jeff Berkowitz: Six billion dollar budget, and its fewer than four hundred thousand students. Divide four hundred thousand into six billion, and you get fifteen thousand. I'm estimating because I've heard three hundred seventy thousand student students. They kind of inflate the numbers. Let's call it fifteen thousand. I know they don't say that, but trust me, it's there. The point is that whether it's fifteen thousand or twelve thousand, your point is, people in the Chicago Public Schools should be able to take what's called their education [subsidy] in kind--right now they get the education, but give them the money—and let them stay in the public school if they want, if not-- go to the private schools.
Charles Wheelan: Right.
Wheelan signs up for School Vouchers, School Choice
Jeff Berkowitz: You would sign on to that?
Charles Wheelan: I would sign on to that, subject to some parameters. I don't want schools being able to systematically exclude kids who are the most difficult to educate. Right? So, we know--
Jeff Berkowitz: So we have to handle that.
Charles Wheelan: We have to handle that.
Jeff Berkowitz: Then you're okay with it?
Charles Wheelan: By and large.
Don’t give up on the kids.
Jeff Berkowitz: Competition occurs, people think of better ways to teach reading, writing, math, so kids with very difficult, intractable problems--they don't come from ideal homes--we don't just give up on them. This is what Teach for America does, and Knowledge is Power, and all those other things that are not necessarially choice programs do. But they don't give up on the kids, right?
Charles Wheelan: Right and my kids have benefited from—
Jeff Berkowitz: And, you don’t want to give up on the kids, right?
Obamas acting hypocritically on school vouchers, school choice?
Charles Wheelan [5th CD Dem. Primary candidate]: Absolutely not. My kids go to Chicago Public Schools, but they don't go to the school that is technically in our enrollment district. We crossed over a boundary--it's just as close--but I abhor folks who are not willing to offer the choice to kids that they exercise themselves.
Jeff Berkowitz: You exercise choice, and you think other people should also have that choice?
Charles Wheelan: Yes and basically, you find too many Democrats with their kids in private schools saying--
Jeff Berkowitz: Barack Obama--fifty seven thousand dollars to send Sasha and Malia to Sidwell Friends, fifty seven thousand. He said on this show in 2002he'd consider everything [to try to improve education in the inner cities]. [But, then,] he said in 2003, no [to school] vouchers, [yes to] charter schools, not choice. So in a sense, Barack Obama's being a bit of a hypocrite.
Charles Wheelan [5th CD Dem. Primary candidate]: I think that he is in on that score. I have no problem with his sending his kids to a private school, that's a personal decision. The [University of Chicago] Lab School is a terrific institution. But I do think [Obama] ought to at least entertain that opportunity [for others].
****************************************
This week's Chicago Metro suburban edition of "Public Affairs," features State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago), a candidate in the 5th Cong. Dist. Democratic Primary.
***********************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. *************************************************************
"Public Affairs," is a weekly political interview show airing in Chicago on CANTV, in the Chicago metro area, Aurora and Rockford on Comcast and also often on the Illinois Channel. You can watch the shows, including archived shows going back to 2005, here.
**************************************************
Recently posted shows on the Public Affairs YouTube page include shows with 5th Cong. Dist. Democratic Primary Candidate Charles Wheelan, State Senator Kwame Raoul on impeachment(D-Chicago), Democratic political campaign consultant Pete Giangreco on Blago's impeachment and the way in which the Obama Administration will operate, a recent Bill O'Reilly segment w/Berkowitz on Obama, shows with State Rep. Julie Hamos, (D-Evanston) and many more.
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