Should President Obama be telling us how his daughter does in school?

Parents have different ways of encouraging their children to do better. Some use bribes, some use praise or flattery and some even use threats and anger. Few go public.

So perhaps we should pity Malia Obama, whose father (who just so happens to be President of the United States) admitted that he was unhappy when she got "only" 73 on a recent science test. Pity too Malia's teacher, who must feel the pressure to "buck up."

President Obama used the anniversary of his election by calling for improved education standards. He also called on parents to set the bar high for their own children (remember, the President's own mother used to wake him up early each morning to learn, so he may have an unusually high bar), saying:

"But even in our own household, with all the privileges and opportunities we have there are times when the kids slack off. There are times when they would rather be watching TV or playing a computer game than hitting the books.’’

After this attempt to suggest that his family was just like any other, the President went on to say that Malia recently came home with just a 73 on a science test. Apparently she was "depressed" with this, possibly because her parents had told her a few months back that she should be aiming for scores in the 90s.

"So she came home yesterday, she got a 95," he added. A happy, inspirational ending.

Or is it?

Should the president be talking about his daughter's grades in public? Should he make the world know that his daughter (who is just 11) will disappoint them if she gets lower than 90 percent? I wonder whether Malia feels that pressure. And I wonder what the school thinks too (I can't imagine they'll be giving Malia any C's anytime soon!)...

Read School Gate:

Should President Obama's daughters be going to a private school?

Yes we can! A school names itself after President Obama

Comments

[Mailman]

I dunno if Barry is a pushy parent BUT at times when my daughters have failed to reach their potential in areas that are their strengths then they will know about their parents disappointment.

So I guess its the same here with Barry and his kids. Although I suspect that this is merely just another story Barry is fond of telling, although I guess its how he "reaches" down to the common man.

Also, I think high achieving parents may also have a high likelyhood that their children will be high achievers too. Role models and all that I guess.

Regards

Mailman

[su jebbs]

I have two kids at school in the US. Here, grade inflation is such that a score of 73% is quite low. It's like getting a C. It would be the equivalent of getting about 53% in the UK.

[Eddie Allen]

Maybe he should be followed by an off duty policeman and placed on a council watch list for 14 months, just in case he 'thinks' to shout at his kids or instil any kind of descipline code in their lives.

Like we parents are in Britain!

[muhammed jabbi]

please read this and encourage yours.

[Harry Longbaugh]

He's absolutely right.

High expectations - rewarding success these are the key motivational factors we need. Good work Big O - now universal health care...

[Elinor]

"Here, grade inflation is such that a score of 73% is quite low. It's like getting a C."

There's a lot of grade inflation in the States, so there's nothing particularly pushy in telling an intelligent child to always aim for 90s - but also note that a mark in the 70s has long been the *standard* definition of "C" in the US. 90-100% is an A, 80-89% is a B, 70-79% is a C, 65-69% is aD, and <64% is an F.

[zips]

Well, as an expat I can tell you that coming home with C's would have meant I needed to explain myself when I was her age. Most parents with fairly intelligent children would hope for B grades at the minimum. C is deemed 'average' but not really in a nice way. I think most kids would be disappointed or surprised at getting a C if they cared about school. They're (the parents) not being pushy, it's normal expectations assuming their child is of good intellect. I should add most good universities and colleges would expect at least consistent B grades with A's in there, or mainly A's. If you had a C average in getting out of high school, you'd probably end up at a second tier university or college.

[kib]

It depends on the test and it depends on the child's abilities. Whehter 73% is good or bad is very subjective. Some tests I've sat I would have been disappointed with that kind of mark, others I'd have been absolutely over the moon. If all the other kids got full marks it suggests she didnt work that hard, but if it was a hard test she did very well.

I think 11 is about the right age to start putting in effort beyond classroom time, but obviously not to the same extent you'd expect at 18.

[Michael Kienitz]

As someone who witnessed and listened to the speech
I think an important aspect of the speech was omitted.

Obama remarked at one point that the recognition by his daughter on her own that she needed to do better was the real goal not test scores. He also said after she got a 95 recently she came home and stated "I just like having knowledge".

Here is link to video I shot...http://host.madison.com/news/vmix_c9d2de20-c9a1-11de-8eb6-001cc4c002e0.html

[leela malur]

It is titles like this that create stereotypes, bias and low aspirations in Britain today. Stretching and encouraging child to do well is not pushy. Neither is being disappointed.Both show the child of the parents implicit belief that they can do better. That belief is the strength and foundation for children.

Look how George Bush Jr turned out? Did his parents have such expectations of him?

[elle]

FYI, you ARE aware that a 73 in the US is a completely different kind of score than a 73 in the UK I hope. A 73 is a below average score (a low C), you can get as high as an A (90-100). I don't think it was a good idea for him to have told that information but its not as critical as some people might imagine if theyre from the UK where a 73 is a pretty good score.

[James]

What's wrong with having high expectations?

That is what is wrong with so many schools in Britain, especially state schools. There is such a culture of low expectations that the children inevitably conform to that level. If there is no pressure to work hard, learn the material and do well in exams then most kids just won't bother. This is because too many teachers view lessons as child-minding or something to endure. Of course, the parents' attitudes are far more important, but we can't do anything about them...

Rant over.

[Kim]

The issue, as Sarah points out, is not how well his daughter did, but whether he should be sharing it with the rest of the world. And in my view, he shouldn't: children have a right to their privacy, just as adults do, and she didn't choose to have a president for a father. So no, he should have kept quiet about it.

[Snuffy]

YES!! And how crazy is it that we would even question his very sensible attitude!!!

I swear I need to move to Mars...

[Kate]

I think these days people in the public eye are practically forced to air all their linen including their immediate families. If he had talked about improved standards and not mentioned his daughter's marks then someone would have found out about it and that would have been all over the papers. Sauce for the goose and all that. I think he would be damned if he did and damned if he didn't. However that she was able to go from a 73 to 95 shows that she is capable and probably wasn't trying and needed to be 'bucked up' a bit!

[Steve Jacks, New York]

You have to understand that 73% here is mediocre at best. Even 90% shows you didn't put that much work in.

[Malcolm McLean]

Dads will take different attitudes to poor science grades. However it shouldn't be made public. 11 year old girls have enough problems without seeing their marks splashed over the newspapers.

The President's motives are good, he's trying to provide a role model to black Americans who typically undervalue education. But the child's interests should come first.

[James]

personally i would be dissapointed if i got less then %90 percent in any of my current exams, and im taking my A levels in the UK. :( Expectations of the youth of today are much higher than they used to be, with increasing competition for university places adding to this :/ so i dont blame good ol' bannan'rama obama really...

nose to the grindstone an' all that! :)

[Diana]

His daughter is attending an expensive and exclusive independent school. Perhaps he shouldn't flaunt that in front of an electorate who mainly have to put up with a state education system that lacks a certain something. In Hawaii, that something is Fridays!
Hope he discussed with Malia why he was going to be showing up her up in public but feel sorry for her .. poor little rich girl .. mmm